Her Wesley
by Ridicia
Summary: She went to the Silver Rupee to prove to her friends she was ready to move on. Little did she know her friend's husband had called in a favor with the owner to keep an eye on her. Zelda x Link AU
1. Chapter 1

The beat of the music was like a living thing. Reverberating through Zelda's body and pressing down on her like a heavy weight. It was a heady feeling and it suited her mood perfectly. She clutched the tiny sequinned purse like a lifeline while viewing the mass of writhing bodies on the dance floor. On whim she'd decided to go out and had picked the _Silver Rupee_ as her destination of choice after seeing the splashy write-up it had gotten in the Entertainment pages of The Hyrule Times.

The _Silver Rupee_ was Hyrule's latest Night club hotspot, seeming to pop up out of nowhere. The trendy bar made her feel out of place but she shoved that feeling deep down. This wasn't her usual scene but that was the point. She was tired of being a shy little wall flower. She was ready to step out of her shell. She was ready to be a new Zelda. A Zelda who was daring and mysterious. A Zelda who wasn't afraid to go to a new Night club to meet new people because that was why she was here. To meet new people.

She would never allow herself to go back to the poor little half-wit who'd been floored to find her boyfriend of 2 years in bed with another woman. When she'd caught Ralph in bed with Ambi, the floor had dropped out of her world. Looking back it, she was ashamed to admit her first reaction had been to runaway after finding the two of them in bed together. What she should have done was clawed that two timing asshole's eyes out. At least, that was what Ruto had wanted to do when she'd found her friend quivering on the couch with a box of Kleenex and a half eaten pint of ice cream. Thankfully Ruto's older sister Lulu had been there to stop her from hunting down Ralph. Though the look on Lulu's face had told Zelda she'd wanted to hunt down Ralph as much as her sister.

Instead the 2 sisters had encouraged her to leave Ralph. She was pretty sure Ruto and Lulu had been chomping at the bit to get her out of that relationship. The cheating had only been the breaking point for her. For 2 years she'd put up with being belittled and cut down by Ralph but she'd never had the courage before to take that step to walk away.

Zelda shook her head to clear the memory. She was past that. She was done crying over Ralph and was ready to move on. Straightening her shoulders with renewed resolve, she ventured away from the cool-lit entrance and crossed into the area of pulsating lights and heavy bass of the club's main floor. From her spot on the edge of the dance floor, she could see a second floor balcony that ringed the entire room. It looked like there were tables pushed against the balcony and that was where she decided she wanted to go. The suffocating mass of bodies vying for a place on the dance floor was a little too far outside her comfort zone and the second floor balcony would give her a nice vantage point to scope out the room. With a plan firmly set in her mind, Zelda wasted no time in skirting the crowded dance floor looking for the stairs.

"Well hello there."

Zelda froze at the words that were clearly spoken in her direction. She tried to calm her runaway heart. After all, wasn't this why she was out tonight? Hadn't she decided she was through moping over Ralph and was ready to move on? She nervously licked her lips and met the eyes of the man who was smiling lewdly at her. Her heart sank. At least he was tall but that was all he had going for him. Actually, she eyed his red hair. His pompadour added at least a couple of inches to his height.

"The name's Groose."

She curled her nose. Groose? Hopefully that was a nickname and not his actual name.

"You come here often?"

She grimaced. Was that his idea of-of flirting? "I...um, I'm meeting someone here."

"Oh." Groose's face fell. "Alright then..."

He looked like he was going to say more but his friends had returned with drinks and Zelda used that opportunity to slip away. She felt a little guilty but there was no way that man could ever be her "Wesley".

She tripped in her rush to slip away and she cursed her blasted shoes. This was what she got for letting Ruto and Lulu dress her. Her heels were an inch higher than she was used too and her skirt was shorter than she usually wore. At least the silver long sleeved top was hers. She tugged on the hem of the short black skirt as she stepped around a couple grinding more than they were dancing. Her face flushed and she lifted a hand to shield her eyes. Really, they should stop the pretense and just get a room.

Still shielding her eyes, she didn't see the man in front of her until she dug her stiletto heel into his foot. Mortified, an apology was on the tip of her tongue until she saw who she'd stomped on.

"That hurt you crazy..." Ralph paused mid-tirade as his eyes slid over her body. "Well hey now, aren't you a hot little thing. I can think of a few ways you could make it up to me for stomping on my foot..."

Her stomach rolled and she couldn't believe she once found him charming. His eyes seemed glued to her chest. Which was funny since he used to say some rather unflattering things about her body. He'd made it no secret that he'd found her unappealing. He'd even gone as far as blaming her for his cheating. Spouted some nonsense saying if she only been more attractive and willing to please him, he wouldn't have had to go out and find someone more to his tastes. There'd been a time she had actually believed it too, but not anymore.

"Look above my neck Ralph and you'll know my answer without having to hear it."

She drew a bit of satisfaction at the way he did a double take when he recognized her.

"Damn baby..."

"Don't call me that."

Ralph fixed a hurt look on his face. "Hey don't be like that. I've missed you..."

She crossed her arms. "Oh I'm sure you have."

He bristled at the sarcasm in her voice. "Hey come now. There is no need for the attitude."

"Why don't you just go back to whichever floozy you brought here..."

"Floozy?" Ralph broke into laughter. "Oh how I've missed your antiquated way of talking."

An uncomfortable blush coloured her face as she discreetly glanced around to make sure no one was watching them. "Will you stop it?"

"Awww still don't like to draw attention to yourself?" Ralph snickered. "Shouldn't have worn that get up then. You should see all the admirers you're getting with those legs of yours. You're lucky I'm not a jealous man."

"I don't care what you think you are." She crossed her arms and lifted her shoulders as if to curl into herself. "Your involvement in my life ended the minute I caught you in bed with Ambi."

"Aww are you still stuck on that?" Ralph leaned closer but she was able to duck out of the way when he attempted to throw an arm around her shoulders.

"No, I've moved on..."

"Let me guess." Ralph sneered, putting himself between her and any hope of slipping away into the crowd. "You've spent the last 2 weeks holed up at home watching every chick flick you could get your little hands on."

She bit her bottom lip. She wouldn't admit that had been exactly what she'd done.

"Last I heard from Nayru, you were still nursing your poor broken heart with a pint of chocolate mint ice cream and watching _The Princess Bride_ on repeat. Are you out here looking for your 'Wesley'?"

Ralph laughed and Zelda shrunk away. She wanted to just curl up and die. She'd completely forgotten Nayru was close friends with Ralph. The poor misguided girl had even stood up for Ralph when she'd heard what had happened. Nayru had even gone so far as to hint that she should just forgive Ralph. Zelda had no idea what Ralph had done to deserve the girl's loyalty but she hoped for Nayru's sake that Ralph never did anything to destroy it.

"My reasons for being here aren't your concern."

"Don't be silly." Ralph once again tried to slip an arm around her but Zelda managed to sidestep him. "If this isn't fate stepping in to say we belong together..."

"It's called coincidence Ralph. Nothing more."

"The hard to get routine is getting a little old."

She shook her head. "It's not a routine Ralph. Please let me pass."

"Only if you agree to stop this charade and come home." He finally succeeded in pushing her into a corner but instead of slinging an arm around her shoulders, he used the opportunity to cage her in with his arms.

"Come home with me baby. Let me show you how much I've missed you."

He leaned in to kiss her but Zelda drove her heel down into his uninjured foot. "I told you to get away from me!"

Hopping in one place, Ralph howled. "You crazy bitch!" Straightening he lifted a hand and Zelda instinctively flinched and turned away...

"Is there a problem here?"

Ralph and Zelda both turned at the new voice. A blonde man stood behind them. Black jeans and a dark forest green t-shirt clearly outlined a lithe body and Zelda couldn't help but notice the white rag stuck in his back pocket. He must work here, she thought as she met his hard blue eyes.

Ralph, always quick on his feet, had used the interruption to throw an arm around her shoulders. She only realized this after he roughly yanked her into his side.

"Nope, no problem here. Just settling a small argument with my girlfriend here."

"Girlfriend?" The blonde stranger raised an eyebrow, a look of disbelief on his face. "Do you guys always go out separately?"

She frowned and tried to shrug off Ralph's arms but a hard pinch stopped her.

"What are you getting at?" Ralph's hand slid from her shoulder to her waist. She shuddered at the way he was casually touching her. The way he was trying to caress her was making her skin crawl but every time she tried to step away, he pinched her.

The stranger had a keen eye. Zelda noticed how his eyes zeroed in on Ralph's hand. Had he noticed?

"Look, why don't you get back to wiping tables or whatever it is you do here." Ralph dug his fingers into Zelda's side as he spoke, forcing her to walk with him. "My girl and I are going to call it a night. Now that we're not fighting, I'd like to take her home. I promised to show her how sorry I was and how badly I want to make it up to her." Ralph grinned and Zelda was sure she would have crawled right out of her skin had it been possible.

"Then I suggest you go home with the lady you brought here." The blonde said, causing Ralph to stop in his tracks.

This time Zelda yelped when Ralph's fingers dug into her side but he had yet to let her go and she was at a loss as to how to get herself away from him. How could she have forgotten this part of him? Ralph could be charming when he wanted to be (or if it benefited him in some way) but he was also very controlling. His favourite trick to get her to go along with him was to pinch her. He'd learned very quickly she'd do pretty much anything to make him stop hurting her. His methods were always discreet and any bruises from his treatment of her were kept to places covered by her clothes. His hand slid along her waist to the small space between the small of her back and her hip where he could easily pinch her skin and give it a harsh twist. Her body went rigid and she knew, from experience, the spot would be black and blue in the morning. She also knew what the pinch had meant. He wanted her to keep quiet, let him do the talking.

Tears welled up in her eyes but she stayed where she was. She'd forgotten, gone complacent. When Ralph's attentions had shifted elsewhere so had his abuse. Without even being aware of it, Ambi's presence had given her a reprieve. One that allowed her to climb back to her feet and see that this wasn't the type of relationship she wanted. It had given her the courage to run away. It had still broke her heart but tonight she'd gotten the courage to try her luck at love again. To try to find her "Wesley", to find her "Natsu". The one who would always come for her, no matter what.

"Stop pinching her like that!" The stranger stepped forward and pulled Zelda away from Ralph.

Zelda blinked, a confused look on her face when her view was replaced by a broad back covered in dark green material. It took her a minute to realize the stranger had placed himself between her and Ralph. She hadn't realized he was so tall. She tried to look around him but he seemed to sense the movement behind him and moved to block her view. Her cheeks puffed out in frustration. She wasn't going to let him shield her...well, ok maybe a little bit if it meant Ralph left without her. Standing on her tippy toes, she peeked over his shoulder.

Ralph was giving the stranger a bewildered look. He obviously hadn't expected the man to put himself in the middle of a fight that had nothing to do with him.

"Ralphie baby, there you are!" A tall statuesque woman with gleaming blond hair and pale blue eyes glided over to them. The black sheathe dress she wore hugged her slim curves and made Zelda feel frumpy.

Ralph glowered at the woman when she casually hooked her arm through his. "I told you to go home Faith."

Faith pouted her rouged lips. "But Ralphie..."

"Soooo, you came here to patch things up with your girlfriend huh?" The blond stranger piped up with a lift of his eyebrows.

Zelda stepped around the stranger and this time he made no move to block her. She couldn't help the stab of pain she felt at seeing the beautiful woman hanging off Ralph's arm. Perhaps she wasn't quite over him after all, even after all the things he'd put her through. "Go home Ralph."

Ralph's lip curled but Faith replied first. "Oh is this the little blonde you were talking about earlier?" Dropping Ralph's arm, she walked towards Zelda with a curious tilt of her head. "Well you're certainly a cute little thing."

Zelda tensed at the calculating way Faith's eyes traced over her every curve. "Poor girl, you never stood a chance of keeping his interest. No wonder he threw you out like yesterday's trash."

"Well that was unnecessarily cruel." The stranger once again stepped in and gently pushed Zelda behind him. "Now will you do as I ask and leave?"

"My, my but you have a high opinion of yourself for a lowly bus boy." Faith sniffed and returned to Ralph's side. "Ralphie, this man is upsetting me. Please do something."

Ralph grinned, a dark glint in his eye. "Oh with pleasure." His eyes shifted to where Zelda was peeking over the stranger's shoulder (again). "Then we'll continue where we left of Zelda. Maybe Faith could teach you a thing or two."

Zelda recoiled. Was he...suggesting a threesome? Zelda's could feel her face burning from her blush. This night was turning into a nightmare and to make things worse? The kind stranger who'd stepped in to help her was about to get his ass kicked. There was no way for him to know that Ralph was a trained black-belt in Taekwondo.

Ralph cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Zelda closed her eyes and wished she could do the same with her ears. She didn't want to hear or see this. She didn't want to hear Faith's tinkling laugh either.

"Oh how sweet, she closed her eyes. What's wrong sweetie? Are you scared?"

Zelda pressed her lips together but they still quivered from the tears welling up in her eyes. She shouldn't have come out tonight but how was she to know that Ralph would come to the _Silver Rupee_ too?

"Awww and now she's going to cry." Faith pried one of Zelda's arms away from her body and hooked her arm around it. "Ralphie won't get hurt. There's no need to be afraid." She pressed her body against Zelda's side. "Should we give him a little show? Let him see what he gets to look forward to once he wins?"

Zelda nearly gagged and pulled her arm free. She took a step away from Faith. Anything to get a little distance between the two of them. "I-I won't be going anywhere with either of you."

"Oh silly girl." Faith smiled smugly. "You speak as if you have a choice."

"She does have a choice."

Both women turned to see the blonde stranger stepping over Ralph's prone body. Faith's cool attitude completely slipped at the sight of Ralph sprawled out on the floor. "What did you do?"

The stranger ruefully rubbed his jaw. "He threw the first punch," his face split into a roguish grin. "I threw the second. Whoever gave him his black belt should have taught him the dangers of being over confident in your abilities."

Faith knelt at Ralph's side and gently lifted his head. He mumbled something too incoherent to make out before his body went limp. "He-he's out cold!"

"He's lucky I don't have him arrested." The stranger snapped.

"Him!" Faith screeched, getting to her feet. "I'll have you arrested for assault!" She looked around wildly searching the crowd. "Where's a bouncer when you need one! I'll have you thrown out and-and..."

"Did someone ask for a bouncer?" A gruff voice asked.

The stranger looked over his shoulder, a welcoming smile already on his face. "Darunia. Just the Goron I needed!"

Zelda blinked. Goron? She pivoted around to see that there was indeed a Goron standing behind them. She gulped. Their race was known to be tough so it was only natural to employ Gorons for security. Not much could get by that rocky exterior and they were impressively strong.

"Perfect!" Faith stepped over Ralph's body and dramatically pointed to the stranger. "He assaulted my boyfriend! I demand you detain him and call the police!"

Darunia gave her a cool stare before shifting his gaze to the stranger. "Is that so, Link?"

Link? So the stranger's name was Link. It suited him. Zelda watched Link rock back on his feet with a sheepish look on his face.

"He was harassing the lady." Link nodded in Zelda's direction. "I couldn't just stand by and let that happen."

"She's his girlfriend!" Faith protested, stepping between Darunia and Link. "I demand you detain him immediately!"

"Girlfriend?" Darunia looked between Faith and Zelda. "I thought you said he was your boyfriend."

"I..." Faith broke off, unsure of how to continue.

"I'm guessing she's his ex-girlfriend." Link gave Zelda a pointed look. "Am I right?"

Zelda couldn't speak, she was so confused. She nodded instead.

Darunia sighed and shook his head. "What are we going to do with you, Link?"

"We'll figure that out another time. Right now I'd like these two," Link pointed to Faith and Ralph's unconscious body still on the floor. "Out of the club."

Darunia gave a mock salute and moved to pick up Ralph but Faith blocked him. "What. The. Hell." She emphasized each word individually, a look of outrage on her face. "He's the one who assaulted Ralph! Why are you kicking us out?"

Darunia gave her a bemused look. "Well, usually when the boss says someone's harassing the customers, I listen."

"So go get your boss and tell him what really happened!"

Darunia's roar of laughter caused a few people to look over. Faith couldn't see what was so funny but Zelda had gone completely still. There was just no way. She stared at Link. He couldn't be _that_ Link could he? While she was getting ready, Ruto had shoved the paper into her hands as a distraction so she couldn't protest to their make over plans. She'd given in and had tried to read the paper but had been too distracted to read little more than a few sentences. One sentence stood out though. The owner of the _Silver Rupee_ was named Link...

"Don't just stand there! Get him!" Faith stomped her foot as if the show of temper would actually intimidate the Goron.

"Y-you're him." Zelda spoke up, finally finding her voice.

Link turned to her. "I'm who?"

Zelda studied him. She was certain he was the Link mentioned in the paper but…what if there was a slight possibility she was wrong? She glanced over at Darunia. He hadn't moved, even after Faith's little fit. Catching her eyes, Darunia gave an almost indiscernible nod. She smiled, her confidence growing.

"You're the owner of the _Silver Rupee_. When Darunia said his boss told him someone was harassing customers, he was talking about you."

Link grinned. "Guilty as charged."

"You're a bus boy!" Faith snarled, stomping over to Link and Zelda. "How could you possibly own the hottest club in Castle Town?"

"Bus boy?" Darunia's laughter once again drew some curious stares. "He actually tends the bar but when Saria noticed our beloved manager had slipped his post –again I might add." Darunia shot Link an amused look. "Saria is going to want to speak to you about that, by the way."

Link rolled his eyes. "My night wouldn't be complete without her nightly lecture."

"Anyway, "Darunia chuckled and went back to his story. "Saria sent me off to go find our MIA manager. Should have known you found another damsel in distress to rescue."

Zelda stiffened. Damsel in distress? Was that all she was? She grimaced, yes, that was all she was. A pathetic girl who couldn't even enjoy a single night out on the town. She glared at Ralph's prone body. If only she hadn't run into him tonight…

"See them out Darunia." Link said, drawing Zelda's attention. "I want them both put on the list."

Darunia nodded. Faith was too shocked to say anything more as Darunia scooped Ralph off the floor. Throwing the unconscious man over his shoulder, he gestured for Faith to follow him. "Your boyfriend is gonna wake up with a helluva headache. I'll have Urbosa call a cab to take you home. I'm afraid you're on your own with moving him but maybe he'll be awake…" The rest of what Darunia said was lost as the trio was swallowed up by the writhing mass of dancers.

"And what about you?"

Zelda jumped. She hadn't realized Link had moved to her side. "I…I should go home I think."

"So that you're right where he wants you when he comes to?" Link frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Zelda scrunched her nose. He had a point but where else could she go. If Ruto or Lulu found out what happened there would be no stopping them this time. They would hunt down Ralph and Zelda wasn't so sure if she wanted to stop them. No, best she went home. There she could regroup, lick her wounds…and maybe clean out the rest of the ice cream in her freezer. Her shoulders sagged. Getting over someone wasn't supposed to be this hard. Especially when the someone was an abusive asshole.

"I have friends I can stay with." She lied. Link didn't have to know her plan was to still go home.

Link watched her with a concerned look on his face. "Why don't I believe you?"

Zelda blushed and looked away. Ralph always said she was a terrible liar.

"Stay for one drink."

She blinked and looked back at him. "A drink?"

"You came here to enjoy yourself didn't you?" Link smiled. "Don't let that asshole ruin your plans for the evening. It's not that late. Have one drink and I'll have Nabooru call a cab to take you home."

Zelda let him lead her towards the bar. One drink should be alright…right?

The gleaming black bar spanned the entire length of the back wall. The top was polished black marble, silver bar stools with dark blue leather sat at intervals in front of the bar. Zelda went to sit at one of the stools but Link gently guided her towards a quiet corner at the end of the bar. A woman, Gerudo judging from her dark complexion and amber eyes, stood behind the bar cleaning a glass. Her red hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail atop her head but it was her attire that caught Zelda's attention. Low-riding dark jeans, and a white bandeau top hidden beneath a black vest was the extent of her outfit. Chunky bracelets circling her right wrist were the only pieces of jewelry that Zelda could see and the understated jewelry suited her. When the Gerudo woman winked at her, she blushed. Zelda hadn't realized she'd been caught staring.

"Well, well Link, she's quite a cutie." The woman set the glass aside and threw the cloth she'd been using with it. Leaning forward, she propped her elbows on the bar top and cupped her chin her hands. "Is she why you took off so suddenly?"

"Something like that." Link replied while pulling stool out for Zelda. "Can you get her something to drink Nabooru?"

"Of course." Nabooru pushed away from the bar to grab a glass. "What can I get you sweetie?"

Zelda licked her lips and thought for a moment. "A Lon-Lon paralyzer?"

Nabooru chuckled. "Is that a question or what you want?"

Zelda blushed but Nabooru had already started to mix her drink so she figured the Gerudo woman had only been teasing her. She snuck a side glance at Link. He had yet to leave her side. She'd expected him to leave the minute she'd sat down. The fact he was still there (and occupying the bar stool beside her) made her wonder what his plan was.

"There you are!" A petite girl suddenly appeared at Link's elbow.

"Ah Saria, I was wondering how long it would take you to find me."

Nabooru set Zelda's drink down in front of her. Zelda barely noticed. Her entire focus was on the petite girl with green hair. If she had to guess, she would have to say Saria was of Kokiri decent. Most Kokiri were petite with an almost child-like appearance. Saria certainly didn't look like a child with the way she was glaring at Link.

"It's not funny Link. Aryll is going to be so upset when she finds out you've been fighting again."

Link rubbed his jaw. "Is it that obvious? I didn't think Ralph had hit me that hard."

"Will you take this seriously?" Saria hopped up onto the barstool on Link's other side.

Zelda picked up her drink. As much as she wanted to listen she should probably mind her own business. Aryll must be his girlfriend…she slid down from her stool and gave Link one last lingering look before she slipped away into the crowd.

* * *

Link sighed as Saria launched into one of her well-rehearsed lectures. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd heard it. Nabooru grinned and crossed her arms. He supressed a chuckle. He swore Nabooru enjoyed this. After all, she'd been the one to point out that their blonde charge had entered the club.

When his friend Mikau had called asking to keep an eye on Ruto and Lulu's friend, Link had nearly said no. He really was trying to keep a low profile nowadays. After that embarrassing incident with Malon, he really didn't want to get in the middle of another broken up couple. He'd even said as much to Mikau. If this girl's boyfriend wanted her back so badly, why should he step in? And honestly, what were the chances her ex-boyfriend would be here anyway?

He'd been about to hang up when Mikau blurted out the reason why they needed him to look after their friend. They suspected the ex had abused their friend but she would never admit to it. The ex cheating on her had been just the excuse they'd been looking for to get her out. Link had given in and agreed to look after her.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Saria's shrill voice broke through his train of thought. "Sorry, Saria."

His friend crossed her arms and shook her head. "I'll get some ice for your jaw. You're just lucky that Aryll decided to stay home tonight."

Link gave her a distracted smile. Saria was probably right. His sister was always saying he couldn't save everyone. Her greatest fear was he would some day challenge someone he couldn't beat. It drove her crazy every time he told her he'd worry about that when (and if) it ever happened.

He swiveled in his seat and finally noticed it was empty. "Where'd she go?"

Nabooru knowingly smiled. "She scampered away about 5 minutes ago during Saria's rant."

"I wasn't ranting!" Saria jumped down from her seat. "What does it matter any way? Tomorrow you'll probably find another helpless girl in need of rescue."

Link didn't answer. He just continued to stare at her empty seat. He wanted to say it was because she was different, but Saria would never believe him. He slid off his stool. "I'm going to find her."

Nabooru's smile turned smug and Saria looked confused but he ignored them both. He pulled the white cloth from his back pocket and tossed it to Nabooru. "Consider me off the clock. Do you mind closing up?"

Catching the cloth easily, Nabooru nodded. As he turned to leave, he caught Nabooru's teasing words. "Go find your Princess."

* * *

Zelda swirled her straw in her drink, watching the ice chase her straw around her glass. She'd only taken a couple of sips. It wasn't like she was worried the drink was spiked. She just...wasn't thirsty. She wanted to go home but...she hadn't paid. She should have returned to Nabooru and asked how much she owed but...she was positive Link would still be there. So she'd found the stairs and had gone up hoping to find another bar so she could pay for her drink. She ended up with her back against the wall instead, watching the people clustered around the numerous tables. Everyone looked like they were having such a good time and then there was her. Her hand tightened around her glass. She should stop this. Find another bar, pay for her drink and go home.

"You don't look like you're meeting with anyone."

She looked up from her drink. It was the man from earlier. What was his name? Bruce? No, that wasn't it. She hadn't noticed he'd spotted her and was now trapped. He leaned forward with his hand planted by her head on the wall.

"Couldn't get Groose out of your head right?"

Groose, of course. Zelda shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "I..."

"It's ok, I told my friends to take off too." Groose lifted his free hand and traced his fingertips over her shoulder. "Why don't you join me for a drink?"

She shrunk away from his touch. "I was just..."

"Waiting for me." Link said, removing Groose's hand and tucking her into his side. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Groose? Don't you have somewhere to be? I saw Stritch and Cawlin looking for you."

"Uh ya sure Link." Groose grumbled walking away. He gave one last lingering look to Zelda, his eyebrow raised as if to ask if she really wanted him to go.

She looked away (again) and inadvertently pressed her nose into the hollow of Link's throat. Her face grew hot. He smelled nice aaand she really shouldn't be smelling him. She yelped and scrambled back, pushing away from him. Luckily, Groose had already left so he hadn't seen her pushing Link away.

"S-sorry." She pressed a hand to her flushed face.

Link chuckled. "It's alright but why did you leave?"

"Leave?" She nervously stirred her straw. She licked her suddenly dry lips. She hadn't realized he'd wanted her to stay. "I um didn't want to cause anymore trouble for you. With..." What was the name Saria had used? Oh, right! "With Aryll."

"Aryll? What's my sister got to do with this?"

Sister? She looked up from her drink with wide eyes. Aryll was his sister? Seeing her surprised look, Link grinned. "Oh, I see. Yes, Aryll is my sister. My younger sister actually. She hates it when I get into fights."

"I would too." Zelda mumbled before she realized she'd spoken out loud. Judging from Link's growing smile, he'd heard her too. "I-I mean..."

"Don't backtrack." Link interrupted. "I'm flattered you would worry. You hardly know me."

She bit her bottom lip. Ralph always said she liked poking her nose in where it didn't belong. "S-sorry."

"It's not something you need to be sorry for." Link gently lifted her chin so she was looking at him. "You have a kind heart. We need more people like you in Hyrule."

She wanted to duck her head and look away but his fingers under her chin made that impossible. At this rate she would end up with a permanent blush on her face. He made her feel special...she frowned. Hadn't Darunia said something about him finding another damsel to save? Maybe...maybe she wasn't special. Maybe he sounded sincere only because he'd gotten a lot of practice saying the exact same thing...to a bunch of other girls.

"What?" Link canted his head to the side. "What are you thinking?"

"Y-you're very smooth." She pulled her head back and stepped away from him. "For a minute there you had me actually believing I was special..."

He frowned. "You are special..."

"And how many other girls have you said those exact words to?"

His face darkened. "Ah, I see now." Now he took a step back too. "Well since I'm nothing more than a playboy to you..." He spread his arms wide. "I won't bother you again."

"Thank you." Her hand tightened around her glass. Why did her stomach turn at the idea of watching him walk away? It was what she wanted...right?

His eyes fell to her glass having caught the slight movement. "The drink is on the house. I'll leave instructions with Urbosa to call you a cab when you're ready to leave."

"I don't need you to take care of me." She spat the words out but they left a bitter taste in her mouth. Why did this feel so wrong?

"As you wish." Link turned on his heel and walked away.

 **A/N: So not sure if there will be more to this story. Right now it's a one shot and yes, the reference to Wesley is from the Princess Bride. For those of you wondering, Natsu is from a favorite anime of mine, Fairy Tail.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright, I know I said it's a one shot but from the follows and comments (thank you btw), I took the hint and wrote another chapter. Feed back is always welcome. I've also been working on By Your Side. Can't say when another chapter for that one will show up on here but I haven't abandoned it. Please let me know what you think!**

* * *

Malon zipped ahead of Link, darting from one stand to another. Link trudged along behind, dragging his feet. Why'd he agree to go with her to the farmer's market? When Malon called him that morning, she'd been so insistent but he couldn't remember agreeing to the trip. Watching his vibrant, red-haired friend had him questioning why she'd even asked him to come along.

Malon thanked the woman behind the cart as she took the bag full of vegetables. Link eyed the bags hanging off his friend's arm and counted at least 6. She looked up from the bags hanging off her arms and turned in a complete circle before she spotted him a few feet away. A grin lit her face and Link suddenly remembered why she'd wanted him along.

He groaned and held out his hands to take the bags. Seriously, next time he was getting her a wagon. A cute little red one that she could drag behind her instead of him.

"Oh cheer up Link!" Malon laughed and patted his cheek. "It's not that bad."

"Says the person not carrying six bags of vegetables." He shifted the bags so he could peak inside. "Why are you getting so much anyway? I thought you'd decided on spaghetti?"

Malon blushed. "Well, I did but..."

"But?"

Clapping her hands together, Malon gave him a troubled look. "What if Fledge doesn't like spaghetti?"

He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't worry about it. You could serve brown-coloured water as stew and he'd still claim it was the best thing he's ever had."

"Don't tease." Malon lightly scolded. She quickly turned on her heel and all but skipped to the next stall. "This dinner is very important to me. I want the 2 of you to be friends..."

Link sighed. They must have had this conversation at least a dozen times already. "I know it's important to you Malon. I swear I'll behave..."

She laughed and looked back at him. "Oh please, you say that every time I introduce you to my boyfriend."

Link winced. She would never let him live that down. "Geez, you greet one person with a sword in hand and you're suddenly a crazy person."

"Not everyone collects swords, Link." She selected a tomato from a shallow crate. "And not many would choose that exact time to sharpen said collection."

Link hummed and rocked back on his feet impatiently. "Sheik thought my collection was pretty cool..."

Malon transferred the tomato to her other hand and selected another. "Oh sure, after he realized you didn't intend to skewer him."

"Run him through."

Malon paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "What?"

Blinking, Link turned to her. He could have sworn...

"Huh?"

Shaking her head, she went back to picking tomatoes. "You said something about running someone through?"

"Oh, that. You should have said Sheik was worried I would 'run him through'." Frowning, he looked over his shoulder again. That time he was sure he'd seen...shaking his head, he turned back to Malon. "No one would ever say they were skewered by a sword."

Laughing, Malon picked another tomato. "Whatever you say Link." Holding up the 3 tomatoes, she signalled she wanted to pay.

"Um miss?"

Malon looked up from putting her wallet back in her purse. "Yes?"

"The young man who was with you?" The Sheikah gestured for her to turn around. "He just left."

Malon blinked in surprise and turned around. Sure enough, Link was nowhere to be seen and her bags of vegetables had been placed on the ground behind her. A slow grin crawled across her face.

"You don't seem surpised." The Sheikah tilted her head to the side.

Malon laughed gleefully. "Nope, not in the slightest." Digging in her purse she pulled out her phone and quickly started to tap out a message.

* * *

"Honestly Ruto, I'm fine!"

Ruto narrowed her eyes at Zelda. "I don't believe you."

Zelda threw her arms up. "It's been a week since I ran into Ralph! I don't need a babysitter."

Ruto hummed a reply without really answering as she tapped away on her phone. Zelda huffed. Honestly, if Ruto was going to insist on coming along, she could at least try to appear interested. Ignoring her friend, she turned to the crowded street.

She'd been waiting anxiously all spring for it to be warm enough for the farmer's market to return. She didn't mind the produce she could buy at the supermarket but nothing could beat freshly grown fruits and veggies from the local farmers around Castle Town.

"Ruto? Are you coming?"

Ruto gave a distracted grunt. Was that supposed to be a yes?

Beginning to feel annoyed, Zelda tapped her foot impatiently. Who was she texting anyway?

A triumphant grin stretched across Ruto's face and she did a little happy dance on the spot. "How perfect!"

Well now she was just confused. "What's perfect?"

Caught mid-dance, Ruto glanced up with wide eyes. "Oh, uh nothing. Nothing at all." Gripping her phone tightly, she shoved it deep into her purse. "Weren't you wanting to look at stuff? What are we doing standing around here?"

Zelda gawped at her but before she could say anything more, Ruto was pushing her down the street. "R-Ruto! W-wait! What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Ruto sing-songed back. "Just gotta go see these vegetables you've been raving about all winter!"

"It wasn't all winter!"

"Whatever." Ruto said dismissively. "Now where are these veggies?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. She would never understand her friend. "How does Lulu and Mikau put up with you?"

"Do note I am with you most of the time." Ruto pointed out with a laugh.

"Ah, how silly of me to have forgotten." Shaking her head, Zelda dug in her heels which caused Ruto to crash into her back. "We're going to miss too much if you keep pushing me."

"Fine, fine." Ruto rubbed her hands together. Zelda watched her worriedly, just what was Ruto planning?

Ruto didn't seem to notice the concerned looks she was getting from her friend. "Where do you want to start?"

Zelda gave Ruto one last question look before deciding it wasn't worth the trouble of questioning her. She pointed back the way they'd come. "Last year there was a woman who was selling homemade pies back that way."

Ruto's mouth fell open in surprise. "Pies? But…you're always talking about the vegetables!"

She rolled her eyes. "Then you were only half listening to me."

Ruto's shoulders fell. "So, you're not here to get veggies?"

"We'll get there eventually." Zelda replied distractedly having already spotted the pie stand.

Ruto was getting antsy and Zelda wished she could pin point why. They'd covered the entire North side of the farmer's market and she felt they'd made good progress. She already had 2 bags loaded with apples, corn and a pie. She had 1 more thing to get on her list and she'd be done. Ruto on the other hand…

She eyed her friend with a touch of annoyance. Ruto hadn't gotten a single thing. No, she'd spent most of her time on her phone. It shouldn't have surprised her but Ruto usually tried to make more of an effort to ignore her phone when she was with Zelda.

It must be important. Zelda thought and instantly guilty. If there was something wrong, she should really tell Ruto to just go on without her. It had been a week since her disaster of an evening at the Silver Rupee and Ralph hated the farmer's market. There was no way he would ever be caught at something so...country (as he would call it).

"Ruto." She waited until she had her friend's attention. "If you need to go, it's alright." She offered a confident smile. "I'll be fine. I'm almost done here anyway."

Ruto hesitated and glanced down at her phone again. It had just vibrated, signalling another message. Scanning the text, she looked back up at Zelda. "You're sure you'll be ok?"

Zelda fixed her most confident smile in place. "Of course! Go, if Lulu needs you for something..."

"Lulu?" Ruto looked confused for a split second before her expression cleared. "Oh ya, Lulu. She uh, she needs me back at home..."

"You don't need to explain it." Zelda flapped her hands to interrupt Ruto. "Just tell Lulu I said hi."

"Alright." Ruto returned her phone to her purse and gave Zelda a quick hug. "Call me if you run into any trouble, ok?"

She returned the hug, her chest swelling at the concern she heard in her friend's voice. She was so lucky to have so many people who cared for her. Even if they tended to hover a bit too much. It was because they were worried and because they cared. She would have done the same for any of them.

"Of course Ruto. I'll even text you when I get home if that makes you feel better."

Ruto grinned. "It would, thanks." Waving good-bye, she disappeared into the crowd but added, "who knows! Maybe you'll have something interesting to report!" Before Zelda had completely lost sight of her.

Zelda shook her head. Not likely, but Ruto had always been a hopeless romantic. She probably thought Zelda would run into her soul mate while looking over the tomatoes. Shifting her bag of goodies to her other hand, she carried on. The stand that sold her favorite tomatoes should be around here somewhere.

"Still the country bumpkin I see." Ralph sidled in beside her, his arm slipped around her waist before she had a chance to react. "I was beginning to think the Zora-bitch was never going to leave."

Zelda's whole body tensed. "Ralph? But you hate..."

"A little birdie told me you would be here."

She cringed. The 'birdie' had to be Nayru. She would have to stop talking about her plans around her if all Nayru was going to do was run back to Ralph to tell him their plans.

He nuzzled her throat as he added. "And I wanted to see you again."

She shrugged her shoulder to try to dislodge Ralph from her throat. "Ralph, we're in public. Please let me go."

"Can't a man show his woman how much he loves her?" He nipped her earlobe and Zelda jumped. "I thought you liked the public displays."

"Ralph, please." Zelda squirmed as he ran the tip of his nose down the length of her throat. At least he hadn't resorted to pinching her...yet.

"Baby, you smell so good."

Her stomach clenched. "Ralph..." Lifting her free hand, she shoved against him to try and put a little space between them. "You know I hate PDA's."

He chuckled, not in the least perturbed at her attempts to get away. "Maybe I'm confusing you with Faith. Now there's a woman who appreciates a man's attention."

Her nose curled in disgust at the mention of the other woman. Ralph noticed and burst into laughter. "Are you jealous baby? I gotta say it is flattering but you gotta know I only have eyes for you."

"And every other woman who looks your way." Zelda added bitterly before attempting to shove Ralph away again.

"Still trying to play hard to get I see?" Ralph frowned, his good mood melting away. "Didn't I say last time it's getting old?"

"It's not an act!" Zelda shoved one last time and finally succeeded in moving Ralph away.

His eyes darkened and he glanced around. No doubt to check how much attention they were getting. The public place was giving Zelda a bit more courage to stand up to him. Here they weren't lost among a crush of intoxicated bodies. They were in broad daylight, in the middle of a very busy street, with people who weren't drunk out of their minds. She hesitantly took a step backwards. Now would be the perfect time to slip away while Ralph was distracted.

She took another hesitant step. Ralph's gaze was still elsewhere. He seemed fixated on something on the other side of one of the carts. Perfect.

Pivoting on her heel, she broke into a run. A few angry shouts trailed behind her after she unceremoniously shoved a few people out of her way. Her bag banged against her hip. She could only imagine the condition her stuff would be in once she got home. She had no doubt the pie was ruined but she could still eat crumbled pie. She grinned, maybe she would start a new trend. Smashed pie didn't sound so bad, right?

"Zelda!"

Hearing her name, she skidded to a halt. Who? She looked around wildly and finally spotted Nayru running towards her. She glanced over her shoulder, no sign of Ralph. She bit her bottom lip and turned back to Nayru. She should keep running but...she couldn't bring herself to be rude to the other girl. With a resigned sigh, Zelda closed her eyes. Maybe she shouldn't have sent Ruto away after all.

"I'm so happy I caught you before you went home." Nayru smiled up at her. "I think Ralph was looking for you. Did you find him?"

"He, uh, found me." Zelda forced a smile to her face. "But he had to go."

"Really?" A confused look passed through Nayru's eyes. "He really wanted to see you..."

"I'm sure he did." The smile was beginning to feel a little forced. Zelda tried to discreetly check behind her. Was Ralph coming? It didn't seem likely that he would just give up.

"He was really upset when he saw you with that blonde last week." Nayru said suddenly, drawing Zelda's attention.

A blonde? Did she mean Link?

"He really wants to patch things up with you." Biting her bottom lip, Nayru shuffled nervously on her feet. "He loves you so much. I wish you would give him a chance..."

"Oh Nayru..." Zelda sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. This was why it was so hard to talk to her. The girl was so blind to Ralph's faults. It was like she was in love with him. "I know you believe that..."

"And she should, it's the truth."

Zelda inwardly cursed. Ralph had caught up.

"Thanks so much for keeping her in one place so I could catch up." Ralph held up a plastic bag. "I got those oranges you wanted honey."

She cringed. "I don't need..." She stopped mid-sentence as her breath caught in her throat. Ralph had just pinched her.

"We'll have to chat later Nayru!" Ralph interjected smoothly, keeping a firm grip on Zelda's hip to keep her in place. "I think I saw Furore looking for you with an armload of plants."

"Oh!" Nayru's eyes widened. "I completely forgot! I'll see you two later!" She gave a backwards wave as she took off down the street in search of her sister. "Remember what I said Zelda!"

"Yes Zelda," Ralph whispered in her ear. "Remember what she said, because it's the truth." He started to forcefully move her along the street.

She dug her heels in, anything to slow him down. He was trying to take her away from the busy street and she couldn't let that happen. She fought back the useless tears. They would do her no good now and she was appalled that no one seemed to care that he was obviously taking her against her will. Couldn't they see her struggling?

Ralph chuckled. "I love how no one wants to get in the middle of a domestic dispute." He lifted his free arm to prove his point. Not a soul looked their way."See darling, even the public agrees you should be with me."

He bent his head closer to whisper in her ear. "Go ahead and scream. No one wants to put themselves out there for a complete stranger. Self-preservation will always win."

She glowered up at him. If no one was going to help her than she would have to help herself. She looked around for anything to latch onto. She could be difficult when needed and if there was ever a time to be difficult. It was now. Her eyes fell on a lamp post. It wasn't much but if she could maneuver herself closer...She paused when she spotted someone standing beside the lamp post. Someone she recognized, and he looked angry.

Meeting her bewildered gaze, he lifted an eyebrow. It was a question, did she want help. She blinked, why the hell did he have to ask?

Because you said you didn't need him to take care of you. An insidious voice whispered. She was stunned. He was giving her a chance to get out of this on her own? She craned her neck back at Ralph but, she couldn't get out of this. She needed help.

She met Link's gaze again and mouthed the words, "help me".

Link nodded, turned around…and walked away. Zelda blinked at the spot where he'd been standing. He'd...understood her right? She bit her bottom lip and looked worriedly at Ralph. She should have nodded. Why hadn't she nodded?

Ralph shoved her and she stumbled. Her sandal catching on a crack in the sidewalk. Her arms flailed as she tried to keep her balance. Regaining her footing, she turned around. Link hadn't really left her to fend for herself…had he?

She took a deep breath. Maybe he had. She had no one but herself to blame though. If she hadn't told him to leave her alone, he probably would have stepped in right away. Instead he'd done something very rare in this day and age. He'd obeyed her wishes to let her handle things on her own. So, on her own it would be.

She dropped her bag –the contents were well beyond ruined by now –and lifted her fists. Widening her stance, she prayed she would remember something, anything really from the self defense classes she took years ago.

Ralph's mouth fell open in surprise at, what she assumed, was a rather pathetic defensive stance. "You think you can fight me off?" A cocky grin replaced the surprised look. "Well alright then." He lifted his own hands. "Tell you what? If you can get a decent hit in, I'll leave you alone."

She narrowed her eyes. He was mocking her. Good, maybe she could use that to her advantage. He might be a trained black-belt but hadn't Link said something about being too cocky? Maybe if he underestimated her...

Not waiting to finish her half-baked idea of a plan (if she could even call it that), she charged Ralph. He shifted his stance and instantly, she knew. This was going to end badly.

She locked her jaw and her eyes glowed with determination. It was too late for her to back out now. She would go down swinging. Later she'd be able to proudly say she didn't just give in to him. She'd actually put up a fight. A meager one but it still counted.

Using her momentum, she pulled back her fist...and Ralph side-stepped at the last second. Her eyes widened as she rushed past him. She didn't see the foot he'd stuck out until she was already falling. She yelped and quickly shifted her body to lessen the impact. Her arms going up to protect her head.

Strong arms caught her and gently maneuvered her so she could keep her footing. For a horrifying second, she thought Ralph had caught her. It would be just like him to show off his dexterity by catching her. The arms dropped away and her eyes flew open. There was no way that was Ralph. He would never have let her go after setting her on her feet.

A familiar broad back was in front of her.

"So you've graduated from pinching to knocking her around?" Link snarled. Zelda couldn't see his face but his tone alone told her just how angry he was.

"And you've graduated to stalking I see." Randal sneered.

Zelda peered around Link. Ralph was slowly backing away. She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. Was Ralph...running away? She wasn't the only one who noticed.

"What's wrong Ralph? Don't want to try again?" Link switched to a more gloating tone. "Are you afraid I'll kick your ass again?"

"A wise man knows when to step away." Ralph replied with narrowed eyes.

"I don't see a wise man here." Link shot back.

Zelda frowned, why was he goading Ralph? She just wanted Ralph to leave. If he was willing to walk away, why wouldn't Link just let him go? She bit her bottom lip while she tried to figure out Link's reason. She wasn't foolish enough to believe it had anything to do with her. Was it because Ralph had 'knocked her around' as Link had put it? Maybe there was a woman in his past that he'd failed to see was being abused?

Ralph hesitated and Zelda held her breath. Was he going to take Link's bait? Ralph shifted his focus to her. "He won't always be around for you to hide behind."

Her mouth twisted into a frown. Well, obviously. It was like Ralph didn't believe running into Link was pure coincidence. She hugged her arms to herself. Not that it mattered. Let him think Link was permanent fixture in her life. She could handle the little white lie if it made Ralph think twice about harassing her.

* * *

Link sorely wanted to go after Ralph but he couldn't. Not unless Ralph threw the first punch. It was his one rule that had kept him from having charges laid against him numerous times. If they threw the first punch, he could claim self-defence. So long as he didn't go overboard with his retaliation. Ralph, though, was really pushing his patience.

Watching the other man discreetly pinch Zelda the other night had been infuriating. Watching him manhandle her today had Link seeing red. He was normally a pretty level headed guy, except when faced with an abusive ex apparently.

He'd been thrilled when Zelda agreed to let him help. Good thing she'd agreed too because he'd been about to step in, regardless of her wishes.

Eyeing Ralph, he cracked his knuckles and watched the spineless asshole try to gather the courage to rush him. He was very disappointed when Ralph turned on his heel and marched off instead. He let tension drain from his body. Probably for the best anyway.

Aryll would kill him if he got into a fight in broad daylight. He clenched a fist. Oh but it would have been worth it.

"Um, Link?" Zelda ventured out from behind him, a shy smile on her face. "Th-thank you for your help."

His eyebrows shot up at her formality before he remembered her opinion of him. Right, she thought he was a playboy. One who went around rescuing poor helpless females all day so he could enjoy their 'gratitude' later.

"I'm amazed you're out here alone after the way he cornered you at my club."

Taken aback, a defensive look entered her eyes. "That was a week ago."

"And he was clearly just waiting for the chance to get you alone."

"Then it's a good thing you were nearby right?" She challenged back. "Exactly why were you following me?"

His eyes rounded in surprise. "Following you? Don't flatter yourself! I was here with a friend." He grimaced, he'd completely forgotten about Malon. Hopefully she wouldn't be too mad.

"A friend?" Zelda rolled her eyes. "Is this one a sister of yours as well?"

He bristled at her judgmental tone. "Malon is a close family friend and happens to be my sister's best friend. So ya, I guess you could say she's a sister."

Zelda scoffed disbelievingly.

"I'm telling the truth." He growled at her.

Turning her back to him, she scooped up her discarded bag. "I'm sure you are."

The tone of her voice told him she didn't believe him. Not for a second.

"Zelda…"

She turned back to him. "Thanks again for helping me but I should get home."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Will you at least let me walk you home in case he's hanging around?"

Zelda pursed her lips and for a second, he was afraid she was going to refuse.

"Alright."

Link let out a relieved sigh. "Then lead the way!"

* * *

Malon sighed and pulled out her phone. She ruefully glanced at Link and Zelda's retreating backs. If only that moron hadn't interfered.

Humming to herself, she tapped a number into her phone and pressed send.

"Hey!" She smiled and listened for a bit.

Her smile dimmed. "No, it didn't work."

"Ya, the ex showed up again." Malon tilted her head and she inspected her nails while the person on the other end asked a question.

"Well of course Link stepped in." Malon paused. "He's walking her home right now." Another pause. "No, not likely. They butted heads again." She laughed. "Yes, I totally agree. They do make a cute couple."

Malon turned to grab the handle of the small cart she had Fledge drop off earlier. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

She listened. "Yes, we could but Link will get suspicious if I'm the one who does it again. Have you tried calling Aryll?"

Malon chuckled. "No, you're right. Aryll won't like that we're trying to set her brother up. Well, maybe call that Zora girl again. What was her name? Ruto? Try calling her, Nabooru. Maybe she'll have an idea." She shifted the phone to her other ear. "No, I agree. We definitely have to try again."


	3. Chapter 3

Zelda rummaged in her freezer looking for the ice cream. She could have sworn she'd picked up more mint chocolate chip the last time she'd gotten groceries. Moving the package of frozen beans, Zelda sighed and admitted defeat. She must have eaten it already. Slamming the freezer shut, she crossed her arms. Her eyes strayed to the clock display on her stove. The digital numbers glowed a faint green in the afternoon light. The display read, 3:45PM.

She left her kitchen and headed for her front closet. She had until 5 before the corner store closed for the evening. She had just over an hour to pick up her ice cream before they closed and she could easily walk there in 15 minutes. Grabbing her purse from the front closet, she plucked her keys out of the small dish on the table by the front door. Dropping the keys inside her bag, she opened the door and nearly plowed right into Nayru.

"Nayru?" Zelda quickly checked to make sure Nayru was alone. Lately it seemed Ralph was never far away whenever she ran into blue-haired girl. "What are you…"

"I'm alone." Nayru explained with a small smile. "Can I come in please?"

Thinking of the ice cream she'd been heading out to buy, Zelda hesitated. Nayru might be alone now but there was no guarantee that Ralph wouldn't show up later. Ralph and Nayru had grown up together and were close friends. Wherever one was, the other was surely to show up shortly.

"I was just about to head out actually." Zelda lifted her arm to indicate the purse hanging off her shoulder.

"Oh!" Nayru's eyes widened. "Um, do you mind if I tag along? I really wanted to talk to you."

Zelda let out an exasperated huff. If Ruto found out about this, she would never hear the end of it. She was already on shaky ground with Lulu and Ruto for the farmer market incident. They were both furious at her for stopping to speak with Nayru when she'd known damn well that Ralph was chasing her. Zelda's manners had nearly costed her dearly and she couldn't afford to make the same mistake. Especially since she was alone. Both Zora sisters were busy today and she hadn't seen Link since that afternoon 3 days ago when he'd walked her home.

"Please Zelda?" Nayru pleaded. "It's really important."

She closed her eyes and grimaced. She had a feeling she was going to regret this. "Alright." She softly shut the door behind her and carefully checked it was locked. "It's not like I could stop you if you wanted to walk in the same direction as me any way."

Beside her, the blunette broke into a brilliant smile. "Thank you!"

Zelda sighed. She really hoped she wouldn't regret this.

* * *

Link was in trouble. He stared blankly at the clipboard in his hand. He was supposed to be counting inventory and drawing up an order to replace the liquors they were low on. Instead he'd been staring blankly at their stock for the last half hour. He absently drummed his pen against the clipboard while his eyes scanned the shelves. No matter how many times he looked at it, he just couldn't concentrate on what he was supposed to be doing. It had been happening to him for the last 3 days. Growling in frustration, he shoved the pen behind his ear and turned on his heel.

Nabooru glanced up from where she was standing behind the bar when Link stomped out of the stock room. Lifting an eyebrow, she casually threw out, "Is everything alright?"

Link glared at her. No, no everything was not alright but he didn't dare voice that in front of her. If he did, she would want to know why. Or worse, she would want to know what was wrong. If she found out the problem was he couldn't get a certain blonde out of his head, he would never hear the end of it.

Instead, he tossed the clip board on top of the bar and plucked the pen from behind his ear. "Ya, I'm fine. I think I just need some air."

Flipping the clip board around, Nabooru quickly scanned through the list. "You didn't mark down a single thing! What were you doing in there for last half hour?"

An uncomfortable blush crawled up his neck as he looked away. "I just couldn't concentrate…"

"That's been your excuse for the last few days." Nabooru pushed the clipboard aside. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Link nodded. "Ya, I just…need a few minutes to myself."

Nabooru didn't look convinced. Grabbing the clipboard, she tucked it under her arm. "I can handle the stock count. Why don't you head home? Maybe you're coming down with something."

He drew in a slow breath. He knew damn well he wasn't getting sick but Nabooru was giving him an out. He should take it before he dug himself in deeper. "Ya, maybe I'll do that. Are you sure you'll be ok here on your own?"

Nabooru chuckled. "You talk as if Darunia isn't upstairs taking the chairs down from the tables." Coming around the bar, she retrieved the pen Link had thrown aside. "And if I remember the schedule right, Buliara will be starting her shift in 20 minutes. I'm hardly alone Link. Maybe if you didn't go around beating on a certain blonde's ex-boyfriend you wouldn't have to worry about retaliation towards the club."

Link cringed at Nabooru's teasing. "He deserved it." Was all he could mumble as he shrugged his shoulders and ducked his head.

He'd already heard all of this from Saria…and Aryll…and Darunia. He really didn't need it from Nabooru too.

Grinning, Nabooru ruffled his hair, ignoring Link's protest when he tried to duck away. "I happen to agree with you so stop moping."

"I'm not moping." He smoothed down his hair and glared at her. "I get I'm shorter than you but do you have to mess my hair."

"Quit acting like a girl and get going before I decide you aren't getting sick." Nabooru winked as she walked past him. "I'll let Darunia know you'll be MIA!"

Mumbling to himself (and thankful Nabooru hadn't caught what he'd just said), he slinked out of his club with his shoulders around his ears and his collar turned up to hide his face. He had no worries that a crowd had gathered outside his club. In fact, the street outside was completely deserted. The Silver Rupee was popular, but only at night.

During the day, it was just like every other building in this district. Deserted. Only coming alive at twilight when the night-crawling crowd started to move. His club was flanked by two other bars and a theatre across the street. He scanned the empty street and shadowed nooks as he started down the street. He was being paranoid. He couldn't imagine Ralph jumping him in broad daylight. The probability of Ralph vandalizing his club or harming the people working under him was highly unlikely as well. He knew this, and yet he couldn't bring himself to completely dismiss the idea. His instincts were on high alert and maybe it explained why his feet weren't taking him home.

* * *

Zelda kept giving Nayru curious looks. They'd been walking for a good 10 minutes and neither had said a word. She could now see the corner store and she was finding it hard to keep moving forward. She gave Nayru another sideways glance. The girl had all but begged her to come along. So why wasn't she talking? Was she waiting for Zelda to say something? Zelda frowned, well if that was the case, this was going to be a very quiet trip.

She couldn't think of a single thing she wanted to say to Nayru.

"I just, I just don't understand."

The words were so softly spoken, Zelda nearly missed them. She licked her lips, her eyes again darting to Nayru. She was confused, just where was the other girl going with that statement. How was she supposed to respond? What did Nayru not understand?

"You were fine with our arrangement for the longest time and now, all of a sudden, you're not"

"His arrangement?" The more Nayru talked, the less she understood. She knew of no arrangement.

Nayru gave her a strange look, like she was the one who was saying things that made no sense. "Of course. Why are you acting like this is the first time you've heard this?"

"Because, it is the first time I've ever heard this."

Nayru's mouth fell open, her eyes rounding in surprise. "But…Ralph said he explained…you must not have been listening. He's always complaining you're not paying attention to him." She closed her mouth, pressing her lips into a thin line. "You really need to pay more attention. You're incredibly lucky he hasn't lost his patience with you."

"Lost his patience…" Zelda paused, what Nayru was suggesting. She couldn't quite get her head wrapped around it. "You're not making sense Nayru."

"If you'd just listened to Ralph." Nayru sympathetically patted her on the arm. "You would have realized he was just spending some quality time with Ambi and not cheating on you."

"Not cheating?" She suddenly stopped walking. Nayru couldn't be suggesting what she thought she was suggesting...could she? "You're saying he was seeing Ambi at the same time as me...and I was supposed to know about it?"

It took Nayru a few steps to realize Zelda wasn't walking beside her. Turning back to look at her, Nayru gave her a puzzled look. "Well, not just Ambi…"

"Not just her?" Zelda felt her stomach drop at the look Nayru gave her. "No, Nayru…not you too…"

"Of course me too." Nayru shook her head. "You really weren't paying attention at all were you."

A chill ran down her spine. No wonder Nayru was always flying to Ralph's defense. She acted like she was in love with him because she actually _was_ in love with the scum bag. "You—Nayru how could you ever go along with such a crazy arrangement?"

"Crazy arrangement?" Nayru's eyebrows popped up in surprise. "Why would you say that?"

Zelda's mouth fell open, again. She was pretty sure she was beginning to look like a fish out of water with the way her mouth kept opening and closing. Nayru couldn't be serious though? How could she _not_ think Ralph's arrangement was odd?

"Most men don't have more than 1 girlfriend."

Nayru snorted. "Riiiiight because keeping quiet about the true number of women a man is dating is so much better. Did you forget how hurt you were when you thought Ralph was cheating on you."

"He was cheating on me."

"No, he wasn't." Nayru explained patiently. "He was spending some quality time with Ambi. If you'd been listening, you would have known he had plans with Ambi that day."

"Wait, so you're saying this is all my fault…"

"Yes!" Nayru threw her hands up as if to say 'finally, she's seen the light'. "You interrupted a romantic evening Ralph had planned with Ambi. If you'd been paying attention, you would have known to give them space."

Zelda's head was beginning to spin. She knew what had happened wasn't her fault. It was all Ralph, but how could he have fooled Nayru and (if what she said was true) Ambi into believing what they had was a healthy relationship?

"I don't understand how you can be ok with all of this."

"Me?" Nayru giggled. "Why wouldn't I be ok with it? Ralph treats me like a princess. There's nothing he wouldn't do for me."

"So long as he isn't with Ambi or any other woman who's fallen for his stupid arrangement."

"His arrangement isn't stupid." Hooking her arm through Zelda's, Nayru gently pulled her along until they were both walking towards the corner store again. "I still have my own space. If I'm busy and don't have time to spend with Ralph, well he has 2 other girls he can occupy his time with."

"Occupy his time with? What a way to put it." Zelda commented sarcastically. "And what other 2 girls. I'm not seeing Ralph anymore. That leaves only Ambi."

"And Maple." Nayru tilted her head back. "Well, and I guess for a while there he was seeing Faith but she didn't work out. He said her needs were not something he wanted to deal with."

Zelda wrinkled her nose. She didn't want to know what 'needs' Ralph had been talking about and didn't bother asking. Not that it mattered. Nayru continued talking, not noticing Zelda had grown quiet.

"I think Ralph had hoped Faith would replace you but it didn't work out. He's really stuck on you." Nayru gave her a sly, sideways glance. "You really need to stop avoiding Ralph. He loves you and if you'd just give him a chance…"

Zelda pulled her arm free. "Never. Ralph cheated on me. He never once explained his multiple girlfriends to me. He probably knew I wouldn't have given him the time of day if he had."

A confused look crossed Nayru's face. It was as if she couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to be with Ralph. Zelda actually felt sorry for the girl. She was selling herself short and settling for something incredibly demeaning.

"You deserve better than what he's giving you, Nayru." She reached out to grip Nayru's hands in her own. Maybe she could get through to the girl. "What he's made you believe isn't right! No woman should have to share her man. You aren't something he can set aside for someone better. Even if it's for a short time. You deserve someone who is 100% devoted to you 100% of the time."

"He is devoted…" Nayru pulled her hands free. "You're the one who doesn't realize what they're throwing away. No man is devoted 100% of the time and if you think he is, he is lying. At least Ralph is being honest about the true nature of how relationships work between men and women."

"I suppose he's told you it's not natural for a man and woman to devote themselves entirely to each other."

"Exactly!"

Zelda sucked in a deep breath. "Oh Nayru…"

The sympathy in her voice only angered Nayru. "No, don't you dare 'oh Nayru' me! You're the one who is delusional."

Zelda's lifted an eyebrow. "How am I the one who's delusional? Nayru, let me ask you this. What happens if you want to see Ralph on one of the days he's with Maple or Ambi?"

"I…" Nayru blinked. Her mouth hung open but no words came out.

"There you see?" She nodded to herself, surely now Nayru would understand. "You should be free to go to Ralph whenever you need him. It's not fair to—"

"No!" Nayru threw her hands up to stop Zelda from saying anything more. "Ralph was right. Talking to you really isn't doing any good." Wrapping her arms around herself, Nayru carried on. Talking more to herself than Zelda. "He's always saying we shouldn't talk among ourselves. We end up getting weird ideas when we do and-and someone will always try to twist words around in their favor."

"That wasn't what I was—"

"He's no better than any of the other men out there." Nayru suddenly blurted, completely ignoring what Zelda had been about to say.

The change in conversation threw Zelda off. Was she still talking about Ralph?

"That blonde you were with at the farmer's market." Nayru turned back to Zelda with an almost manic glow in her eyes. "If you think he'll be different, you're wrong. He was there with a red head before he tracked you down."

"Link didn't…"

"And there's the gerudo woman at the Silver Rupee…"

"Have you been following me?" Zelda ignored her accusations towards Link. He wasn't her concern. She'd known he was a playboy and besides, he didn't have those kinds of feelings towards her.

"N-no." Nayru bit her lip and glanced away.

Zelda's eyes narrowed on her. She didn't quite believe Nayru but couldn't really see the point in pressing her further for an answer. "Fine, but I think you should go."

"But—" Nayru's protests fell on deaf ears.

Zelda wouldn't let Nayru's misguided views sway her. If anything, Nayru had only reinforced Zelda's opinion. She'd made the right choice walking away from Ralph. She wished she could make Nayru see reason but until the girl was open to getting help, nothing she said would sway her.

* * *

Link stared at the flowers he was clutching to death in his left hand. What had possessed him to buy them? He'd seen the small bouquet of Silent Princesses at the flower stand and before he'd known it, he'd pulled his wallet out. Now he had these flowers and…he was crazy if he thought Zelda would ever accept them. As if he could just walk up to her and say he'd seen them and had thought of her. She'd just think it was another line of his.

She had no idea he'd never bought flowers for a girl before. Nabooru would have absolutely killed herself laughing if she could see him now. The great and fearless Link, who'd opened one of the hottest bars in Hyrule on a whim, was afraid to give flowers to a girl.

He really should just throw them out and pretend this had never happened.

One look at the innocent little flowers though, and he knew he could never do it. Cursing, he started walking. Maybe he should just drop the stupid things. Let someone else come by them. Maybe they could use them. As if in defiance to the very thought, his hand tightened around the delicate stems.

He was so screwed.

* * *

Zelda exited the corner store with a skip to her step. The ice cream she'd painstakingly picked out was carefully tucked away in the plastic bag swinging from her right hand. She would go home, pop in the _Princess Bride_ and happily pig out on ice cream. She would turn off her cell and take her phone off the hook. If Ruto happened to call, the Zora would insist on dragging Zelda out to some god forsaken club. She didn't understand why Zelda would want to spend another night in, re-watching the same boring movie, and eating ice cream. Not that it was boring to her. The _Princess Bride_ happened to be her favorite movie.

"There you are!" Out of nowhere, Ralph was suddenly in front of her and pushing her against the wall of a nearby building. "What the hell did you say to Nayru?"

Not answering, she silently apologized to her ice cream before swinging the bag into Ralph's side. Grunting in pain, Ralph jumped away to avoid being hit again. Zelda used the opening to run away.

"Get the hell back here!"

The sound of footsteps pounded behind her as she flew down the sidewalk. She didn't dare glance behind her. He sounded close. Too close actually. She tucked her bag of ice cream under her arm so Ralph could use it to grab her. She'd learned from her last encounter at the Farmer's market, she didn't stand a chance against him if he caught her.

If only Link were there to help her again.

The thought entered her mind before she could stop it. She was further surprised to realize she meant it. She really did wish he was there to help her. He might be a playboy but he was reliable. He'd already saved her twice, thrice actually if she counted Groose.

She rounded a corner and couldn't believe her luck.

"Link!"

He looked deep in thought, the frown on his face disappearing when he looked up and saw her. "Zelda?"

Skidding to a halt, she gripped his arms. "Thank the goddesses! I really need your help!"

He puzzled expression disappeared the second he looked behind her. "Ralph."

Just as she'd expected, he hadn't been too far behind. "Seriously? You again? Are you following her or something?"

Lip curling in a sneer, Link stepped forward and carefully tucked Zelda behind him. "I could ask the same thing of you. Every time I see you, you're harassing her."

"She's my girlfriend." Ralph straightened his shoulders and pulled himself up to his full height. "So if you'll excuse us…"

"You're still trying that tired old excuse?"

Ralph growled angrily, his eyes darting to Zelda and back to Link. "It's not an excuse but I can see my words are wasted when you're around."

Shoving his hands deep in his pockets, he turned on his heel and called over his shoulder. "He won't always be around Zelda. We will have this conversation sooner or later. I can wait for 'later' if that's what you want."

She peered around Link to watch Ralph walk away with a relieved smile. "You really are a life saver. I think he's mad at me for talking to Nayru."

"It's getting to the point where you should really talk to the police about him." Link gave her a concerned look. His eyes skimming over her in search of bruises. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"What?" Zelda tore her gaze away from Ralph's back. "Nah, I think my ice cream took more abuse than I did."

She smiled up at him. She'd been lucky to run into Link again but Ralph had a point. Link wouldn't always be there to rescue her. Her eyes caught on the flowers he was clutching in his hand. Actually, he almost looked like he was trying to discreetly hide them behind his back. Her heart sank. He must have been on his way to pick up his date.

"Oh no, I haven't made you late, have I?"

"Late? For what?" He gave her a confused look.

She gave a pointed look to the flowers in his hand. "The flowers. You were on your way to pick up your date?"

"My date?" He still looked lost as he stared uncertainly at the flowers. "Oh…uh ya, a date."

Ignoring the heavy feeling of disappointment in her chest, she offered him a brilliant smile. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. Thanks again for coming to my rescue!"

"Oh, of-of course." Link laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "I –uh have some time. Do you need me to walk you home?"

"You shouldn't keep your lady waiting." Zelda kept her smile firmly locked in place and gave him a gently shove to get him moving. Watching him walk away with an uncertain glance back at her, she couldn't help but wonder one thing.

Why did she suddenly feel like crying?

* * *

 **A/N: Another chapter added. Thanks again for all the reviews and follows.**


	4. Chapter 4

He was nothing but a coward. Link thought this and glared at the little vase full of flowers sitting on his kitchen table. He should have told her the truth. She wouldn't have believed him but he would have preferred that to the alternative. Cursing, he stomped out of his kitchen.

He was a bloody coward.

A soft knock at his door drew his attention outward. His front door opened and his sister, Aryll poked her head in. "Link?"

He really didn't want company right now. Inching back towards the kitchen, he wondered if he could pretend he wasn't home.

"Nabooru said she sent you home sick."

He sighed, so much for pretending to not be home. "I'm in here Aryll."

A soft click echoed through the empty apartment as Aryll closed the door. "Where's here?"

Pulling out a chair, he plopped down at the table. "Kitchen." He called in way of answer. He glared accusingly at the vase of Silent Princesses. He should throw the damn things away before Aryll walked in here and started asking questions. His chair scraped against the tile as he stood to do just that, but he was too slow.

Aryll walked into the kitchen while he was mid-reach. Hand hanging uncertainly in the air, Link watched his sister carry a large box over to the counter. His eyes darted back to the flowers. She hadn't noticed them, yet. Would it be too obvious if he grabbed the flowers now?

"Since when do you decorate with fresh cut flowers."

He winced at her shocked tone. "I –uh thought it was time to brighten things up in here?"

Concern darkened her blue eyes as she crossed to her brother and laid her hand against his forehead. "Well, you aren't running a fever…"

Link stared at her for a full minute before he understood what she was getting at. "Seriously Aryll?" He batted her hand away and moved to the other side of the small kitchen. "I'm not sick!"

"Suuuure." Her eyes hesitantly drifted to the flowers.

"Oh my Goddesses Aryll, just because I have flowers on my kitchen table doesn't mean a damn thing."

"Just that my brother has lost his ever loving mind." Abandoning the argument, Aryll turned her attention to the box she'd carried in.

Link was almost afraid to ask.

Flipping the box open, Aryll struggled to lift something heavy out. If it had been anyone else, Link would have offered to help but he knew his sister. She was more likely to stomp on his foot for daring to suggest she needed help than accepting said help when it was offered. Link smothered a grin. She kind of reminded him of another blonde he'd recently met.

Well, up until about half an hour ago anyway. The thought warmed him. He had to be making progress with Zelda. He was still a little surprised she'd so willingly asked for his help. She hadn't even hesitated. She'd seen him and ran to him right away. Now, if only he hadn't swallowed his tongue when she'd asked about his imaginary date. Maybe then she would have accepted his offer to walk her home.

Thankfully she hadn't noticed when he'd trailed her home. There was no way he was letting her walk alone, whether she knew it or not. Ralph was becoming seriously unhinged and he had serious doubts that she would report Ralph to the police. If only he'd been there to witness the fight that had led her to run away. He could have called the police in her place. Unfortunately, the police wouldn't do anything about a citizen voicing their concern about someone who 'might' be causing someone else trouble. They would want proof.

"Helloooo, Hyrule to Link." Aryll waved her hand in front of his face to snap him out of his reverie. "For someone who claims they aren't sick, you sure are out of it."

Link rested his cheek against his fisted hand. He heaved a wary sigh as he turned his attention to the large covered pot sitting on his stove. "What is that?"

Aryll hummed non-committedly and walked back over to the stove. "Oh this? Just something Grandma sent to help you get better."

Link's cheek slipped off his fist in surprise. "Grandma? How did Grandma find out?"

Rummaging through his drawers for a wooden spoon, Aryll clucked her tongue sympathetically. "I think the better question is, how could you think Grandma wouldn't find out. I swear she has a sixth sense where we're concerned."

"Nabooru probably called her." Link bitterly said out loud, but he didn't really believe his own words.

Aryll was right. Their Grandmother had raised them after their parents were both killed in a car accident. He and Aryll were Grandma's only remaining family. For that, she cherished them and seemed to always know when something was wrong, or they needed extra comfort.

Turning the burner on low, Aryll lifted the lid to stir the contents of the pot. "Grandma also packed some chocolate chip cookies for you." She nodded towards the box as she continued to use the wooden spoon. "Cookies and I think there might also be a couple of pieces of chocolate cake."

"Really?" Link perked up. Sweets always helped to lift his mood.

The mouth-watering aroma of pumpkin soup was already beginning to fill the kitchen as he pulled out the other containers at the bottom of the box.

"You carried this all by yourself?"

"I'm not an invalid Link." Aryll sniffed, frowning at him for suggesting it. "What are you doing? You're going to ruin your appetite!"

Link snorted, the cookie he'd been about to inhale already half way to his mouth. "A single cookie won't hurt anything."

"You and I both know you won't stop at one." She turned back to the pot. "Though I'm beginning to agree with you. You're not sick."

Link paused. Her statement was loaded with meaning. It said she knew he was hiding something. He shoved the cookie, whole, into his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he considered telling her about Zelda. What did he say though? She would be checking his temperature again if he told her he was completely hooked on someone who wanted nothing to do with him. He couldn't explain it and he didn't know if he should even try to.

Pulling a bowl down from the overhead cupboard, Aryll carefully poured a ladle-full of soup into it. Dropping the ladle into the pot, she brought the bowl over to Link. She eyed her brother uncertainly. He could see the question in her eyes but she didn't voice it. Instead, she set the bowl in front of him and took a seat at the table across from him.

Swallowing the mouth-full of cookie, Link eyed the warmed up soup. She'd forgotten to get a spoon but he could easily just sip it directly from the bowl. He glanced up to see Aryll still watching him, and waiting. Twisting his mouth into a half-smile, he did the only thing he could think of. He went to retrieve a spoon from the silverware drawer to delay the inevitable conversation.

Aryll, however, was tired of waiting on him to speak.

"What's going on Link?"

Clearing his throat, he grabbed a spoon and returned to the table. "I don't know what you mean."

Her eyes narrowed on him. He, like the coward he was, concentrated really hard on shovelling as much soup as he quickly could into his mouth.

"You never play hooky from work. You never buy flowers on a whim and you've certainly never had an uncontrolled urge to display fresh-cut flowers at home."

"Nabooru and Malon are always on my case to take a break from the club." Link swallowed another spoonful of soup. "On my way home I saw the flowers and thought they looked nice."

He hated lying but he wasn't ready to explain Zelda to his sister. What he'd said wasn't actually a total lie. The bit about Nabooru and Malon was actually the truth. The explanation for the flowers was a complete lie. He wasn't one to look at flowers and go 'hey, those would look great on the kitchen table'. No, he was more of a 'hey, I bet these would make Zelda smile' kind of guy.

Resting her arms on the table, Aryll considered his explanation. Link waited with baited breath to see if she would buy his story. Finally, she relaxed and settled back in her chair. "Why lie and say you're sick though?"

Link shrugged. "Easier to say I was coming down with something than to tell them I needed a break. I guess…" Scraping the last of the soup from his bowl, Link licked the spoon clean.

Aryll stood to take the bowl to the sink before he had a chance to do it himself. "I don't quite believe you about the flowers…"

"Believe what you want. It doesn't change why I bought them." He grabbed a plastic container to transfer the remaining soup from the pot.

Rinsing the bowl, Aryll added it to the other dirty dishes in Link's dishwasher. Turning to lean against the counter, she watched as Link finished with the pot. Snapping the lid on the plastic container, he popped it into the fridge before returning to the pot. Carrying it to the sink, he waited for Aryll to move so that he could fill it with water to soak.

"Is this the only reason why you stopped by here?"

"No, Telma has been asking to change the menu again. She has a bunch of sample menus she'd like you to look over."

Telma ran the kitchen at the Silver Rupee. Link had already heard from Nabooru that she was asking about switching up the menu again. He would usually leave the decision to Aryll but if she wanted his input, he'd gladly give it.

"Did you bring them with you?"

Aryll nodded. "Ya, let me just grab them from my bag."

She left the kitchen to grab the menus from the bag she'd left at the front door. Link returned to the kitchen table, his eyes going to the flowers once again. He'd at least managed to advert Aryll's suspicions but he couldn't see it lasting for long. He sighed.

What was he going to do?

* * *

Zelda propped her feet up on the coffee table in front of her couch. She had a large bowl of ice cream carefully balanced on her lap. In one hand she held her spoon and in the other, she held the remote for the TV. She repeatedly pushed the volume button to lower the sound as she struggled to keep the phone wedged between her shoulder and ear.

"I'm sorry Ruto, what was that?"

"I was saying you need to stop playing around!" Ruto's voice snapped back through the receiver. "He's stalking you!"

Zelda sadly stared at the TV and fumbled for the remote for her DVD player. This conversation was going to take longer than she'd anticipated.

"Ralph isn't stalking me." She lifted the remote and pushed the pause button.

On the screen, Wesley stopped mid-tumble down the hill. She sighed, she'd been at one of her favorite spots too. Right when Princess Buttercup realized the dread pirate was her Wesley. She turned her attention back to the voice ranting in her ear. Throwing the remote on the cushion beside her, Zelda tilted her head back.

"Ruto…" She paused to see if Ruto would stop to listen. Thankfully, the Zora fell silent. "I'm not calling the police."

"He physically assaulted you – "

"He pushed me against a wall. He didn't hurt me."

"He could have."

"He didn't." Zelda closed her eyes and prayed for patience. "Honestly, I'm more concerned that he's coerced Nayru into doing something she has no interest in."

"Nayru's a big girl and can handle herself."

Zelda cringed, Ruto could sound so heartless at times. She knew the Zora didn't mean it the way it sounded. Ruto was just more concerned about her right now. After this passed, she would be concerned about Nayru as well.

"I wouldn't be concerned if she were involved with someone else but, it's Ralph. He has a way of twisting your words until you believe what he's saying is the norm…" She bit her lip and pushed her ice cream around her bowl.

He also liked to belittle you and, on the odd occasion, resort to physical…persuasion if you still weren't seeing things his way. She didn't say it but she was sorely tempted to. She was concerned for Nayru because she knew exactly how Ralph operated. She didn't want to explain it all to Ruto though. If she admitted it, Ruto would ask how many times had he done that to her. She wouldn't want to answer if Ruto asked.

She'd called Ruto because she was worried about Nayru. She had gotten out. It didn't matter anymore how Ralph had treated her. All her friends needed to know, was he'd cheated on her. It was all she planned to ever tell them. They didn't have to know everything she'd been through.

"Zelda? Are you still there?"

Breaking free of her internal battle, Zelda cleared her throat. "Uh ya, what were you saying?"

"I was saying you should call the police."

"But Nayru…"

"Calling the police with put him on their radar. In a way you'd be helping Nayru by establishing a record of troubling behaviour." Ruto's tone softened over the line. "I know you're worried about her Zelda but there is the chance she is involved with him out of her own free will. It's amazing how love can blind people to their lover's faults."

Zelda sighed and rested her head against the back of the couch. She knew Ruto was right and she did have a point. She just couldn't shake the feeling in her gut. Nayru's words had sounded so scripted. Like someone had repeatedly said those exact words to her. Maybe calling the police would do some good? She shook her head. No, calling the police would solve nothing.

"I was the one who hit him this time."

There was no response on the line. Zelda pulled the phone away from her ear to make sure the call hadn't disconnected. Seeing the familiar display showing the time ticking away as it kept track of the call, Zelda slowly pressed the phone back to her ear.

"Ruto?"

"I'm sorry, I think we had a bad connection there." Ruto's voice crackled over the line as if she was moving. "It sounded like you said, you hit him."

"I did say that." She bit back a smile. "I hit him with my ice cream and ran away."

"Your…ice cream…" The disbelief in Ruto's voice was almost insulting.

"I am capable of taking care of myself you know."

"So it would seem." Ruto said wryly. "With ice cream."

Zelda tilted her head as a muffled voice said something in the background. Ruto covered the mouth piece but she easily heard Ruto's response. "She hit him with ice cream. Yes, ice cream. Stop laughing Mikau, this is serious."

Mikau? She frowned as Ruto said something she couldn't quite catch. She hadn't realized her friend was at Lulu's.

"Ruto? Ruto!" She raised her voice to get the Zora's attention but knew she would just have to wait. Mikau loved to tease his sister-in-law and Ruto could never let him have the last word.

Absently stirring her ice cream, she looked to her paused movie. Would Ruto know she'd purposely hung up or would she assume she'd lost the connection if Zelda ended the call. Her eyes drifted to the abandoned DVD remote. Ruto was still verbally dueling with Mikau and seemed to have forgotten all about Zelda. Abandoning her spoon, Zelda's hand closed around the remote.

She might as well watch some more of her movie while waiting for Ruto to remember she'd been talking on the phone.

* * *

Link shoved his hands into his coat pockets and glanced up uncertainly at the sky. It looked like it was going to rain. Perfect. Curling his shoulders up by his ears, he stepped out from under the shelter of his front stoop. He barely gotten any sleep and after fumbling for his phone at 5 that morning, he'd called in sick. Again.

At least Nabooru hadn't minded. She even promised not to rat him out to his sister this time. He'd had a few colourful words for her after hearing that. Nabooru's laugh was still echoing in his ear actually. She'd ended the call with the cheeky comment of, 'just go check on your Princess, Link. I'll hold down the forte today'.

So, apparently, he wasn't fooling anyone…accept maybe himself. And maybe Aryll, so long as Nabooru kept her mouth shut.

"Yo! Link!"

He paused mid-step and looked over his shoulder. A tired smile crossed his face at seeing Mikau jogging towards him. "Hey."

"Where are you headed so early in the morning?"

"Uh…" Link looked back the way he'd been walking. True to Nabooru's teasing, he'd actually been heading in the direction of Zelda's house.

He could never admit that to Mikau. The Zora actually knew Zelda personally. Wait a minute! Link eyed his friend, a brilliant idea occurring to him. Mikau's expression turned wary at Link's calculated look.

"Whatever you're thinking, I'm saying no."

"I haven't even told you…"

"No."

Link's mouth fell open. "But — "

"No."

He let out an exasperated huff. "It's not bad Mikau."

"That's what you said last time." Mikau emphatically shook his head. "The answer is still, no."

"I swear it won't be like last time."

"You said that last time too!" Mikau held his hands up. "Nuh-uh, you're not fooling me again. If Lulu ends up having to bail me out of jail again…"

"Holy Hylia Mikau! That was one time!" Link let out an exasperated groan. "And how was I to know that little snake Zant would have connections in the police force?"

"You're not going to convince me to go along with whatever it is you're planning."

"Not even if it has to do with the blonde you wanted me to look out for at the club?" Link lifted an eyebrow and hid a smile when Mikau paused. He had him now.

"What about Zelda?"

"Her ex is still bothering her."

Mikau shrugged but his nonchalant act didn't fool Link. "I heard from Ruto. She was talking to her last night."

Link was relieved. If she wasn't going to go to the police, at least she was talking to her friends. "I'm worried about her."

"Are you now?"

Link frowned. Mikau was trying to hide his interest but the Zora had a terrible poker face. The only problem? Link didn't think it was mentioning Zelda that had peaked Mikau's interest.

"Well don't leave me hanging. Why are you worried?" Mikau fixed a bright smile on his face, and again, Link thought he wasn't fooling anyone. "You hardly know her."

The hairs on the back of Link's neck stood on end. His eyes narrowed but Mikau kept his expression strictly innocent. "If you repeat any of this to your wife…"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because she's always trying to set me up! Her and Malon never leave me alone!" Link groaned and buried his face in his hands. Maybe roping Mikau in to help him wasn't such a good idea. The last thing he needed was for this to turn into another Lulu-and-Malon matchmaking scheme.

Mikau grinned. "I swear my wife isn't trying to set you up this time. We really are concerned about Zelda.'

Well that was a relief. Link eyed his friend distrustfully. So long as he was telling the truth that is.

"If it's about Zelda, I'm in." Mikau crossed his arms and tapped a finger thoughtfully against his chin. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing sinister." Link smiled. "I just need to know one thing. Do you know where Ralph lives?"


	5. Chapter 5

Zelda hesitated at her front door, her gaze fixed on the sky. Grey clouds hung overhead and the smell of rain hung heavy in the air. She retreated inside to grab her umbrella. Best not to tempt fate by leaving it behind.

Umbrella in hand, she closed her front door and double checked it was locked. She was on edge this morning and it probably had something to do with the 3 hang-up calls she'd had over the course of the night. The caller had blocked their number, but Zelda wasn't fooled. She knew, without a doubt, it had been Ralph.

After the third call, she'd given in and had taken her phone off the hook. By then, she'd also given up on sleeping. Strategic make up and a good concealer hid the dark circles under her eyes (at least she hoped) and the large go-mug of coffee should help her stay awake today. She shouldered her purse and gave one last glance up at the sky. Hopefully the rain would hold off for a bit longer.

* * *

"This has got to be illegal." Mikau complained loudly.

Link glared at him. "It's not if you would keep quiet."

"We're hiding in a bush."

"It's Castle Town's bush. It's not on Ralph's property." Link turned back to watch Ralph's front door. "Now be quiet or you'll draw attention to us."

"Did I mention we're hiding in a bush?"

Link rolled his eyes. After getting Ralph's address, Link had tried to tell Mikau he didn't need any more help. Mikau had other ideas. Worried about what Link could be planning, he had insisted on coming along. Even after Link promised he wasn't going to do anything…yet. He'd just wanted to see where the asshole lived. Maybe get an idea of his routine. Maybe catch him in the act of harassing Zelda, and report it to the police. Or, maybe kick his ass again. Whichever would get faster results. It didn't matter to him so long as Ralph left Zelda alone.

"What exactly are you hoping to do?"

Link's groaned and dropped his head forward. "Seriously Mikau? If you can't shut-up than go home! You're going to draw attention to us!"

"Once again." Mikau waved his arms for emphasis. "We're hiding in a bush! We aren't exactly invisi—what the hell is she doing?!"

Link stared at him quizzically. "Huh?"

Putting his hands on either side of Link's head, Mikau turned his head until he was facing Ralph's door again. A woman was standing on the front stoop with her back to them. She juggled a pink umbrella and a mug of coffee in one hand while her other was raised to knock on the door. Link angled his head. If only she would turn this way, he could see her side profile but he had the sinking feeling he knew who it was by her long, blonde hair.

"Please, tell me that's not Zelda."

"I could, but it'd be a lie." Mikau replied grimly. "What do you want to do?"

His eyes narrowed when the door opened. They were too far away to hear what was being said but he didn't like the casual way Ralph leaned against the door frame. Even from here, the bastard looked smug. Zelda's shoulders tensed and her free hand clenched around her go-mug. She was obviously angry but confrontation didn't seem like her style.

"Oh Goddesses, I think she's talking to him about Nayru." Mikau stretched his neck up as far as he could without leaving the meager cover the bush was providing.

Link barely managed to tear his gaze away from Zelda and the mounting fight. "Who's Nayru?"

"Another of Ralph's girlfriends." Mikau explained, twisting his body to try to see Zelda better. "Zelda called Ruto last night completely outraged over Ralph's polygamous relationship with Nayru and whoever else he's seeing."

Link could only blink in response. Seeing his friend's stunned expression, Mikau burst into laughter. "Before you ask, the answer is no. Zelda had no idea Ralph was into that. She would never have agreed to see him had she known he had multiple girlfriends."

"So, she's there because?" Link looked back to Ralph's front door. He and Zelda were still arguing but it looked as if Zelda was doing most of the talking.

"She's worried Nayru isn't a willing participant."

"Willing participant?" Link had to turn it over in his mind for a few seconds to grasp what Mikau was getting at. Once he understood, he felt his stomach drop. "Oi this is getting way more complicated than I wanted."

"Ya, Zelda tends to attract trouble." Mikau gave Link a sly grin. "Better get used to it, if you plan on sticking around."

* * *

Zelda ground her teeth in frustration and barely refrained from beaning Ralph over the head with her umbrella. The man was infuriating! Why did she ever think she could walk over here and talk to him like a civilized Hylian?

"I don't know why you're getting so upset." Ralph inspected his nails before glancing at her. A smug smile on his face. "Nayru is very happy. Where would you have ever get the idea, she wasn't?"

She drew in a deep breath and prayed for more patience. "I know how you are Ralph."

"Mmm, you sure about that?" Ralph pushed away from the door frame. "I bet I can show you some things you weren't aware I was capable of."

The double meaning behind his words made her skin crawl. Zelda found herself taking an involuntary step backwards before she caught herself. She was here for Nayru. She would not allow him to intimidate her!

"You've shown me a lot of things I wish I could forget." To her horror, tears were welling up in her eyes. She pushed her bubbling emotions down. Crying would solve nothing here. "I'm here to make sure you're not treating Nayru the same way you treated me."

Ralph's taunting grin melted away. "If you're just going to throw baseless accusations at me, you can leave."

He stepped back to shut the door but Zelda stuck her foot out to stop him. "Just because you don't want to hear it, doesn't mean it's not the truth." She glared furiously at him and shoved her shoulder against the door to keep him from forcing it shut.

Ralph's lip curled and his eyes flashed dangerously. "I'd be careful Zelda. Your precious little hero isn't around to save you this time."

Her eyes widened when she realized her mistake, but by then it was too late. Ralph grinned and suddenly jerked the door open. She scrambled to keep from falling forward but Ralph had waited for the exact moment she had all her weight against the door.

His arm shot out and he wrapped her long hair around his hand. Yanking her up, he grinned when she met his hard gaze. "I knew you'd eventually make your way over here once Nayru talked to you. You were always so easy to manipulate. I knew you wouldn't be able to stand the idea someone you knew might be in trouble."

She dropped her umbrella and go-mug. She knew they had to of hit the ground but she didn't hear it. Her attention was completely riveted on the hand pulling her hair. Her own hands lifted to her head and tried to dislodge his hold on her. Her tears were now streaming freely down her face. How could she have been so stupid?

"So then," Ralph leaned forward until his mouth was by her ear. "Are you ready to stop this idiotic farce and come back to me? I promise to go easy on you if you do."

Her stomach dropped to her toes. This was her worst nightmare. She hadn't even bothered to tell anyone she was coming over here! She cringed and pulled away when Ralph trailed his free hand over her cheek. She'd been blinded by her need to protect Nayru. Wasn't Ruto always saying she was too quick to put the safety of others before her own?

"You sonuvabitch! Let her go!"

Zelda blinked, she recognized that voice. She twisted to look behind her but Ralph's grip on her hair didn't allow for much movement.

Ralph's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. Yanking on her hair, he forced her to move,.Unwillingly, she found herself standing behind him. She craned her neck, trying to see around Ralph, but he was in the way. She bit her lip and plucked at his iron-clad hold on her hair. She needed to see. Had to see. She closed her eyes and prayed Mikau wasn't alone.

* * *

Mikau had been out of the bush and half way to Ralf's front door before Link had realized he'd even moved. He'd been a little shocked when he realized he'd unknowingly followed the Zora. He couldn't even remember making a conscious decision to follow. His feet had moved and the rest of him had followed. He couldn't, for the life of him, ever remember following someone so blindly. All thought processes beyond 'save her' disappeared at just the sight of Zelda in danger.

Not for the first time it occurred to him. He was seriously screwed.

"You sonuvabitch! Let her go!" The anger Link heard in Mikau's voice wasn't a surprise. His own sentiments were along the same line.

The way Ralph grinned though was a punch in the gut.

"Gentlemen, there is no need for such antics." He yanked Zelda around so her back was against him. His arm was a solid band around her waist. "She came here of her own free will. Now, unless you're here to congratulate us on rekindling our romance, I'm going to half to ask you to kindly leave."

"Oktorok shit!" Mikau snarled without missing a beat. "She didn't come here to get back with you. She came here to check on Nayru."

"Oh, was she telling you those lies as well?" Ralph shook his head and insultingly patted Zelda on the cheek. "My dear Zellie gets such silly ideas in her head. We'll have to work on that, won't we sweetie?"

Zelda winced and Link's stomach turned. His eyes moved to the grip Ralph had on her hair. They needed to get her away from Ralph. So long as he held her, they were stuck. They couldn't retaliate for fear of what Ralph would do to her.

His eyes met hers and held. Her gaze pleaded with him to something, anything. Filled with resolve, he blinked and curtly nodded his head. A movement that went unnoticed by Ralph and Mikau, but Zelda saw it. Biting her bottom lip, her eyes darted towards Ralph and she gave an experimental tug on her hair. His eyes caught movement as the silky strands slipped through Ralph's slackened grip. It gave him an idea.

"If Zelda came here of her own free will, why are you holding onto her hair?" Link nodded at Ralph's hand. "Your grip suggests you're lying."

"What, this?" Ralph relaxed his hand so he was cupping the back of Zelda's head instead of holding her hair. "Does that help your sense of propriety –what was your name again, Link? Does that help your send of propriety?"

"I'd prefer if you didn't hold her like she was a hostage." Mikau crossed his arms. He'd picked up on Link's subtle plan.

"Can't a man embrace his woman?" Ralph rolled his eyes. "Didn't realize you, of all people, had a problem with PDA with the way you carry on with your wife."

Mikau's eyes darkened. "Leave LuLu out of this."

"Whatever." Ralph adjusted his hold around Zelda's waist. He tucked her against his side, his arm now around her shoulders. "There, happy?"

"Very." Link smiled and Zelda thrust her elbow back into Ralph's stomach. "Now she has a chance to get away on her own."

Ralph grunted and leaned forward to grip his stomach. Zelda then stomped on his foot and pushed his arm off her shoulder.

"You bitch!" Ralph tried to ignore the pain to grab her again but this time Zelda kept her hair out of his reach.

Mikau and Link ushered her behind them. Standing between her and Ralph, Link crossed his arms. "Guess you were unconscious the last time, so I'll warn you again. Your over-confidence is going to severely set you back if you're not careful."

"I don't need advice, especially from the likes of you." Still holding his stomach, Ralph attempted to straighten his back but sucked in a painful gasp of air when he couldn't quite do it. "You better watch your back bitch, he won't always be there to get you out of a jam!" Stepping back, he lifted a hand to his door. "Now, get off my property before I call the police!"

The door slammed resolutely in their faces. Ushering Zelda down the walk, Link didn't realize Mikau wasn't with him until the Zora called them back.

"You're just leaving? After what we caught him doing?"

He looked back at Mikau. "Of course."

Mikau's mouth dropped open. "I don't understand." He pointed at the closed door. "You saw! He had her by the hair! You can't tell me you didn't see her tears!"

"I'm right here, you know." Zelda commented quietly but both men ignored her.

"Of course, I saw them."

Mikau gestured at the door. "So then why?"

"Zelda can claim self-defense if he's stupid enough to call the authorities." Link started walking again, gently guiding Zelda while Mikau had no choice but to follow. "Us, on the other hand, wouldn't be able to do the same."

"But we saw…"

"As you were so fond of saying earlier, we were hiding in a bush." Link sighed. "Ralph could have argued we sent Zelda to bait him and then her self-defense claim would be out the window."

"AH HA!" Mikau jogged ahead and turned back to them. "So, you admit it! Hiding in the bush was a bad idea."

"No." Link guided Zelda past Mikau. "I never said that."

Looking confused, Mikau stood there for a good solid minute before he ran after them to catch up. "You just said, us being there could be claimed as baiting him…"

"But if we hadn't been there, Zelda wouldn't have been able to get away." Link nodded at her. "We were able to manipulate him into changing how he was holding her. So, hiding in the bush was good for that…but not for kicking his ass, like I would have wanted."

"I get the feeling I ruined your plans." Zelda said in a watery voice, finally catching Link and Mikau's attention.

"What?" He gave her a startled look. "No, of course not. I want to beat him up on principle. He's an ass."

Mikau chuckled. "Ya, Link is forever stepping in and helping the little guy. He's a modern-day hero."

"You say that with such sincerity." He commented back with a roll of his eyes. If Aryll ever heard Mikau call him that, he would never hear the end of it from her.

On second thought. It would be better to not even take the chance. "Please don't repeat that around my sister."

"Oh, so you can go up against thugs and bullies," Mikau crowed teasingly, "but not a small woman who isn't even over 5 feet?"

"That small woman, as you put it, is also my sister." Link grumbled back, his face feeling uncomfortably hot. "And I'm telling her that you called her short."

All colour drained from Mikau's face. "Hey, that's not funny!"

* * *

Zelda listened to their banter and something became glaringly clear.

"You know each other."

Link and Mikau both stopped their bickering to look at her. Link gave her a blank stare but Mikau looked suspiciously guilty.

"I, uh, did I not mention that?" Laughing nervously, Mikau looked away.

Link lifted an eyebrow. "She doesn't know?" He was looking at Mikau but the Zora wouldn't meet his eyes either.

Stepping ahead of them, Zelda turned on her heel and effectively blocked their path. Crossing her arms, her gaze settled on Link. If Mikau wasn't going to talk than maybe Link would.

"What don't I know?"

Link sighed and looked again to Mikau but he stubbornly refused to offer any answers. Shaking his head, Link turned back to her. "Mikau and I are old college buddies. We both went to Hyrule U."

"So…" Zelda's mind was going a mile a minute as things started to fall into place. "That first night I met you at the Silver Rupee..."

"I have a BA in business. The bar really is mine." Link nodded in Mikau's direction. "He called me that night to ask me to keep an eye on you."

Remembering the comment about Link always rescuing women, Zelda rounded on Mikau next. "You set me up!"

Looking confused, Mikau finally met her angry gaze. "I beg your pardon?"

"You knew Ralph would find me!" Zelda thrust an accusing finger at Link. "You set me up so he'd have an excuse to swoop in and-and…"

"Enjoy the benefits of your gratitude for chasing him off?" Link finished for her with an angry look of his own. "You still think so little of me?"

Zelda sucked in a deep breath. He had a lot of nerve sounding so offended when it was all true! And to think, she'd been beginning to trust him! "It doesn't matter what I thought! You're still nothing more than a philandering, opportunistic asshole!"

"Woah, Zelda, you're a little out line!" Mikau looked between the two anxiously. "Link isn't…"

"You're his friend." She curled her nose as she spat out the word 'friend' as if it was something revolting. "You can't see how he really is."

"No!" Mikau latched onto Link's sleeve before he could walk away. "Zelda, you've gone too far. Ruto and Lulu just wanted…"

"Lulu!" Link yanked his arm free. "I should have realized your wife was a part of this."

"No, wait!" Mikau wailed sadly. "I'm screwing this all up."

"No, you're finally doing the right thing." Zelda ignored the throbbing pain warning she was going a little far with her accusations.

"I'll say." Link grumbled.

Her eyes narrowed on him. He was just as guilty as Lulu and Mikau for setting this whole thing up. Link had obviously known she was a mutual friend of theirs but hadn't said a thing about it. "Since you can't seem to take a hint, I will say this one more time."

Link glanced at her with guarded eyes.

"Leave me the hell alone!"

Link snorted as if he wasn't at all surprised by her demand. "As you wish." He bowed with a mocking flourish before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Wait! Link!" Mikau spared one last glance at Zelda with an apologetic look in his eyes, before chasing after his friend.

Satisfied they'd finally taken the hint, Zelda continued off in the opposite direction. Squaring her shoulders, she pushed forward and pretended she didn't feel like she'd just made a huge mistake.

Link was exactly who she'd first thought he was. She would not give him the satisfaction of looking back.

She refused to admit she was hoping that maybe, just maybe Link had looked back instead.

* * *

 **A/N: Another chapter. Thank you all for your reviews, follows and favourites.**


	6. Chapter 6

Zelda eyed the recipe and mentally made a list of what she needed before pulling ingredients from her pantry. Chocolate chips, brown sugar, baking soda, salt…She plucked each item off the shelves and eyed the flour sitting on the bottom shelf. She had no room in her arms for the large container.

Shrugging, she turned to deposit the items on the counter. Setting the items down, her eyes drifted to her silent phone. She'd left her cell on the counter by the fridge after she'd called Mikau to apologize.

After calming down and looking back with a clear head. She felt like a complete clod. She'd been incredibly lucky Link and Mikau had been there to help her. Instead of thanking them, she'd gotten wrapped up in the knowledge the two knew each other.

She still felt betrayed they hadn't thought to tell her of their friendship but she was a big enough person to realize, she'd behaved badly. At least Mikau had accepted her apology. He'd even gone so far as to admit he should have said something earlier to her about knowing the owner of the Silver Rupee. He wouldn't admit his wife and sister-in-law were trying to set her up though. He'd dodged the questions until she'd given up. His silence had been her answer. Lulu and Ruto were notorious for playing match maker. So, of course they would turn their sights on their newly single friend.

Worrying her bottom lip, she scooped up the phone to check for missed messages. There were none from Link. She shouldn't be surprised.

Gently putting the phone back down, she gave the silent device one last glance before returning to the pantry for the flour.

She shouldn't have asked Mikau to give her number to Link, but it was the only thing she could think of. She wanted to apologize to him as well. Regardless of what she thought about his character regarding women and relationships, he had helped her. That number was growing alarmingly large too. What was it now? Four? Clucking her tongue to herself, she put the flour beside the small pile of ingredients already on the counter.

She hadn't felt right asking Mikau for Link's number, so she'd told him to give hers to Link. That way Mikau wouldn't have to betray his friend's trust by giving out a number Link may not want her to have. It meant, though, her apology depended on Link calling her.

She was never good at waiting.

Eyes still on the phone, she blindly opened the fridge and grabbed what she needed by touch. Her hand closed around the carton of eggs. He would call her, right? He might be a womanizer but he seemed to have a good heart…if the number of times he'd helped her were anything to go by.

Transferring the egg carton to her other hand, she propped the fridge door open with her hip. Using her free hand, she fished out the carton of milk that had somehow made its way to the back of the fridge. She stared at her phone, willing it to ring.

The bloody device remained silent.

Closing the fridge with her hip, she added the eggs and milk to the pile on her counter. Turning her back to the silent phone, she focused on the cook book she'd left open on the counter. Running a finger down the page, she mentally checked off each ingredient on the list. If Link wasn't going to call, that was fine. She already had a plan B.

* * *

Link wanted to bang his head into the wall. Not for the first time, he wished Nabooru had kept her mouth shut. Maybe then, his sister wouldn't be breathing down his neck.

"I cannot believe you let her talk to you like that!" Aryll came around the corner, her hands on her hips and a look in her eye telling him his sister was out for blood.

"Aryll…"

"No!" Poking him in the chest, she got right in his face. "Nabooru said you've been moping around here ever since you got back from-from…" She broke off, a confused look crossing her face. "Actually, Nabooru didn't say where you went."

"That's because I never told her." Link said with an exasperated sigh. "Something I wish she would have had the foresight to do where you're concerned."

Aryll's eyes narrowed on her brother. "That's just rude."

Link snorted and tucked a pencil behind his ear. "Wouldn't be the first time I kept secrets from you."

Aryll snatched up Link's clipboard before he had a chance to grab the inventory list himself.

"Aryll, you're not exactly helping here…"

"Burying yourself in your work isn't solving anything. You need to have a chat with this stuck up bitch…"

"She's not a bitch." He snapped while trying to snag the clipboard from his sister. "She's had a rough time…"

"That's no excuse for the way she's treated you…"

"How about you let me be the judge of that?"

His sister paused, her mouth dropping open. He had no problem reading the shock in her expression. Using the distraction, he grabbed the clipboard. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

"You…really like her, don't you?"

An eyebrow winged up in surprise. His sister knew him well but he hadn't expected her to pick up on that so easily. Tucking the clipboard beneath his arm, he shook his head and walked past her. As far as he was concerned, this conversation as over.

Of course, Aryll had other ideas.

"Link…"

He silently cursed Nabooru's meddling. "Let it go Aryll. I don't want to talk about this."

"But…"

"Hey Link?" Darunia strode into the backroom, his gaze swinging from side to side as he looked for his boss.

Link sighed, thankful for the distraction. "Back here Darunia."

"You, uh, have a visitor." Darunia found Link and Aryll in a back corner surrounded by tall shelves holding boxes of napkins, plastic stir sticks, paper umbrellas and cardboard coasters. "I'd send 'em away but they're really insistent."

Link's eyebrows shot up in surprise. It wasn't every day his head bouncer couldn't get rid of some unwanted visitor. It also wasn't every day where his head bouncer tracked him down at the request of the unwanted visitor.

"Who is it?"

Darunia cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I was told you would have to find out for yourself."

Link frowned. Since when did Darunia take orders from someone else. Beside him, Aryll looked just as confused.

"What do you mean, he has to find out for himself?"

"Jus' like I said." Darunia coughed and cleared his throat again. "Miss Aryll, Nabooru requested your help with the second-floor bar…"

"Since when does Nabooru need help." Fisting her hands on her hips, Aryll looked between Link and Darunia. "What's going on?"

Laughing nervously, Darunia rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, can't say."

Link frowned. "Aryll, go see what Nabooru wants."

"What!" Not hiding her shock, Aryll rounded on her brother. "You aren't seriously going along with this are you?"

He smiled grimly and nodded. Unlike her, he had an idea what this was about. Mikau had called earlier with a message. Zelda was trying to get a hold of him. He'd blurted out the digits making up her number and had hung up. Link had barely been able to find paper and pen to quickly scribble Zelda's number down. He still had no idea what he was going to do with the number and hadn't quite decided if he wanted to call her or not.

That had been 3 hours ago and it wouldn't surprise him in the least if Zelda were the one who was looking for him. It would explain Darunia's reluctance to send this person away and Nabooru's sudden need for Aryll's help.

* * *

Zelda played with the edge of the plate and shifted nervously in her seat. She was still surprised Nabooru and Darunia had let her in. The club wasn't open for another 2 hours but that hadn't stopped her from hesitantly pounding on the closed doors.

She'd had no real idea of what she would say when the door opened and Nabooru had poked her head out. Nabooru had given her a cool stare before dropping her eyes to the covered plate of cookies Zelda held. When she heard why Zelda had brought cookies, a Cheshire grin had crawled over Nabooru's face and she'd all but dragged Zelda inside.

Plunking her down at a table, Nabooru had hollered for Darunia until the Goron came ambling out from somewhere in the back. Now here she was, waiting for Link and praying to the Goddesses he liked chocolate chip cookies.

A shrill voice drew her attention to a petite blonde Darunia was ushering up the stairs. She could only assume the blonde was Link's sister, Aryll. Nabooru had given Darunia explicit instructions to get his younger sister upstairs without her seeing Zelda. Swallowing thickly, she plucked at the plastic wrap covering the plate. Did that mean Link was coming?

"Huh, so I was right."

Link's voice, which was right behind her, made Zelda jump. She'd been too distracted watching Aryll to notice Link had walked up to her table. Plopping down in the chair across from her, he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

"Mikau mentioned you wanted to talk to me."

Her shoulders fell at the mention of Mikau's name. He'd obviously decided her apology wasn't worth his time.

"I hadn't decided yet what to do with your number." Link canted his head to the side as he spoke. "He said you were wanting to apologize though."

She nervously licked her lips. So, he hadn't decided yet. That was good. It gave her hope. Hope for what? She wasn't ready to figure that one out but she could at least start with the apology. Right? Her eyes drifted to the plate of cookies. Well, no time like the present.

"Y-yes. I acted horribly after you helped me with Ralph." She looked up from the plate and met his eyes. "I'm so sorry." Clearing her throat, she gently pushed the plate towards him.

"I…it's not much but I made these for you." She bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze. "I hope you can forgive me?"

Link dragged the plate closer and lifted the edge of the plastic wrap. "Chocolate chip?"

Blushing uncomfortably, Zelda nodded.

Link eyed her from across the table and leaned back in his chair again. "Thank you for the cookies."

Zelda forced a smile to her lips but her heart felt heavy. Did this mean he wouldn't accept her apology?

"I suppose this won't change your opinion about my dating habits?"

Thrown completely off guard, she could only blink at him. What did that have to do with anything?

Link lifted a corner of the plastic wrap and snuck out a cookie. Holding it up, he inspected it before popping the whole thing in his mouth. He groaned with appreciation as he chewed and Zelda pretended it didn't affect her.

Swallowing, Link gave her a warm grin. "I love chocolate chip, but back to my question. I imagine you still think I'm a philandering bastard?"

Zelda blushed and studied the table top. "I…don't quite understand what that has to do with anything."

He shrugged and took another cookie before carefully tucking the plastic wrap back around the plate. "I suppose nothing, but if I'm to accept your apology, I'd like us to be friends."

"Friends?" She eyed him suspiciously. She wondered what he was up to, but she could find no fault in his request.

"Yep!" Link bit off a chunk of cookie. "If you want me to accept your apology, you'll have to agree to be friends."

Zelda thought it over. Honestly, there were worse things out there than being his friend. Maybe if Link was a more permanent fixture in her life, Ralph would back off. "Just friends, right? Nothing more?"

A mischievous glint entered Link's eyes. "As you wish." Popping the rest of the cookie in his mouth, he stood up and held out his hand. "Now, let's get going before Nabooru runs out of things to occupy my sister with."

Zelda twisted in her seat to glance up the stairs. Everything was still quiet on the second floor. She swung around in her seat. "I don't understand?"

"You're not exactly my sister's favourite person right now."

Ah, now she understood. She hesitantly placed her hand in his. Easily helping her to her feet, she followed him towards the exit.

"I believe the farmer's market is back at Market Square today. Would you care to join me?"

Zelda blinked in surprise. She had no other plans made for the day. The extent of her planning had been 'bring Link cookies'. After that, well she hadn't really given it much thought.

"A-alright."

* * *

"I cannot believe you! Even if you didn't know Link hadn't said anything, you knew we weren't telling Zelda we knew him!"

Mikau groaned and wished he'd stayed home. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking – "

"You're never thinking!" Ruto groused, crossing her arms and glaring at her brother-in-law.

"Ruto…" Lulu gave her sister a disapproving look. "I do believe I had mentioned keeping it from Zelda was a bad idea."

"No one asked you." Ruto pouted. "Why are you always defending him?"

"Might have something to do with her being my wife." Mikau offered helpfully but the double glare he got from said wife and her sister had him closing him mouth with an audible snap.

Yep, he should have stayed at home.

"This is going to make it harder to get them together." Lulu tapped a finger thoughtfully against her chin as she tilted her head back.

"Link was really pissed when he realized you guys were setting him up again." Mikau looked between Lulu and Ruto. Both Zora women were ignoring him…or they'd completely forgotten he was there.

Why'd they drag him along again?

"Do you still have Malon's number?"

Ruto pulled out her phone and started tapping the screen. "Ya, I do. What were you thinking Lu?

The smile on his wife's face made Mikau feel sorry for his friend. Link had no idea how determined they were to pair him up this time. His attention drifted away from the 2 scheming Zora. He didn't even want to know what they were planning. The less he knew, the better for him. Link couldn't kick his ass if he didn't know anything.

Catching sight of a familiar blonde duo, Mikau paused. A slow smile crawled across his features. Well, speak of the devil.

"Hey, Lulu?"

Giving him an annoyed look, Lulu ignored him and continued to talk to her sister. Mikau sighed. As if that would to deter him. His wife should know better.

"Lulu!" For good measure, he lightly poked her side. His wife was incredibly ticklish. Something he liked to exploit…a lot.

Lulu squealed and curved her body out of reach. "Mikau! You know how I hate it when you do that in public!"

He rolled his eyes. She always said that, but the blush and gleaming eyes always gave her away. She loved the attention he gave her.

"I just thought I'd point out your plans may be unnecessary."

Not understanding what he was getting at, Lulu exchanged a confused look with Ruto. Mikau jerked his head in Link and Zelda's direction. "Seems like the two resolved their differences on their own. And might I add, without your meddling?"

Ruto perked up and grinned at her sister. "Well, look at that."

Lulu returned the grin. "This will make things easier if we don't have to figure out a way for them to reconcile."

Mikau gaped at her. "Y-you're kidding. You still plan to play matchmaker? Even after Link said – "

His wife laughed and affectionately patted his cheek. "Of course, silly. Those two have no idea just how perfect they are for each other."

Mikau groaned. If Link ever found out about this, he would kill him.

* * *

 **A/N: I removed the 'complete' tag from this story. Your reviews and follows have inspired me to keep posting to this. I've also started working on By Your Side again. So hopefully I'll be posting more to that story soon as well. Please continue to review! I enjoy reading them!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Mom!" Zelda transferred the phone to her other ear and pressed a hand to the bridge of her nose. "No, that's not…"

She broke off and held the phone away from her ear. Her mother continued to chatter without missing a beat (or noticing her daughter was trying to get a word in). Ruto, who was sitting at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee, shot her an amused grin and lifted the cup to her lips. Rolling her eyes, she turned her back to her friend and just barely caught what her mother was saying.

"Your sister said she'd be arriving in a couple of days."

Caught off guard by the news, Zelda paused in the act of pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Wait, Hilda is coming here? Since when?"

"Did she not tell you?" Her mother tsked. "She said she told you a week ago. Are you sure everything is alright dear? It's not like you to forget something like that?"

Covering quickly, Zelda shoved the coffee pot back on the burner and pressed the phone against her ear with her shoulder. "Of course, Mom." Her eyes shifted to her calendar as she added sugar to her cup. "It's written on the calendar. You know how the days can get away from you."

"You're sure?" Her mother didn't sound convinced. "I heard that ex of yours is still bothering you. What was his name again?"

"Who, Ralph?" Zelda replaced the lid on her sugar bowl and went to the fridge for her favourite flavored cream. "I actually haven't heard from him in…" She grabbed the cream out of the fridge door. "I think a week now?"

Slamming the door closed with her hip, Zelda chewed her lip thoughtfully as she considered how long it had been since she'd seen Ralph. Yes, it had been about a week since her disastrous idea to confront Ralph about Nayru.

"Well that's a relief to hear. Does it have something to do with that nice boy you've been seeing?"

Zelda stopped stirring her coffee. "What boy?"

Her mother completely missed the confusion in Zelda's voice. "The nice blonde boy you've been hanging around. I am a little hurt you haven't told me about him yet. Rutela says Ruto told her you two make a cute couple!"

Rutela? Zelda frowned. She was Ruto and Lulu's mother. She twisted around to look at her friend. Ruto was absorbed in her coffee and not looking at her. She didn't fool Zelda for a second. Letting out a frustrated huff, she turned her attention back to her conversation with her mother.

"Link is just a friend, Mom." It was just like Ruto to exaggerate her relationship (or the lack of one) to her mother. It was just her luck that their mothers were such good friends. "There's nothing between us."

"Really?" Zelda cringed from the disappointment she heard in her mother's voice. "I was really hoping Rutela hadn't heard wrong."

Zelda glared over her shoulder at Ruto, but the Zora still wasn't look at her. "So, you were saying Hilda was coming here?"

Better to change the subject than to let her Mom continue with the current topic. Her mom would start in about how she wanted her daughter to find love and blah, blah, blah.

"Oh, yes." There was a rustling sound in the background as if her mother had shifted positions. "Hilda left this morning…"

"But, she isn't going to be here for another couple of days." Zelda's gaze swung again to the calendar she'd tacked to the wall by the fridge. Had she marked the wrong date? No, her mother had said Hilda would be here in a couple of days as well…

"Well, she's not going straight to Castle Town…" Her Mother's voice sing-songed smugly over the line.

"What? Why not?" Carrying her cup of coffee, Zelda joined Ruto at her kitchen table.

Ruto sipped from her cup quietly with a raised eyebrow. Zelda's mouth twisted into a wry smile. Oh, so now that the conversation had moved beyond Link, Ruto was suddenly all ears again?

"She hasn't told you?"

"I wouldn't be asking if she had." Crossing her legs, she (again) switched the phone to her other ear. It wasn't like her sister to keep something from her but, lately they weren't exactly seeing eye-to-eye.

Hilda was always on her case about 'bettering' herself. Her sister couldn't understand how she could be content working at the Stock Pot Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast she ran with her friend Anju. Zelda loved to cook and she enjoyed nothing more than to watch their guests enjoy her food.

Huh, maybe that was why she'd decided to give cookies to Link as an apology gift?

"Well, if Hilda didn't say anything than I can't ruin the surprise."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it's not meant to be a surprise…"

"Regardless, I don't want to be the one to spoil Hilda's big news."

Zelda's lips thinned. Great, so Hilda had something she wanted to brag about.

* * *

Link stretched his arms out and tilted his head back. He watched the birds fly overhead. The sky was clear with the promise of a warm day. Lowering his arms, he rolled his shoulders and rocked his neck from side to side to work out the kinks. Bouncing a bit on his heels, he pulled his phone out of the pocket of his sweat pants. Tapping through the screens until he found his music, he selected a track and popped his earbuds in. Stretching out his legs, he glanced left and then right to make sure the street was clear before starting down his usual running route.

The fast beat of drums and a guitar riff blasted in his ears as he mindlessly ran towards Farore Central Park. Well ok, maybe not mindlessly. Actually, his mind was going about a mile a minute as he ran. So, mindlessly? No, he wasn't mindlessly running. Robotically? Ya that seemed more accurate. He was running on auto-pilot right while mentally sorting his agenda for the next few weeks.

Telma and Aryll had finally settled on a new menu for the Silver Rupee. His sister had promised to have the new menu to him by the end of the day and a list of the changes needed to their supply order by the end of tomorrow. Nabooru would have the latest order for their bar supplies put in before the end of the day and he could expect the delivery later this week. His insurance on the place was due next week and the rent, the week after. That only left that weird promoter who'd been pestering him to start carrying a new line of 'monster inspired' drinks and food.

Link nose wrinkled thinking of Kilton. The man was certainly an odd one with his greyish colored skin and scaly blue gloves. His first reaction had been to toss the man out on his ass but Nabooru had stepped in. She'd been adamant he hear Kilton out and he begrudgingly had to admit she'd been right to say so.

Kilton had given his pitch and Link was left to wonder if perhaps the odd little man had something with his monster cakes and rice balls. He was confident the monster themed stuff wouldn't fit in the Silver Rupee but…maybe somewhere else? He'd been bouncing ideas off Nabooru for a while about opening another location but he didn't want another Silver Rupee. He wanted something different. If he were to open a chain of night clubs (could 2 be counted as a chain?), he wanted each club to be unique. Not carbon copies of each other.

Come to think of it, he wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he were to find out Kilton had approached him at Nabooru's direction. He might own the Silver Rupee but its success had a lot to do with the woman he'd hired as his floor manager. Nabooru had a knack for picking out the next trend. So, he had to ask himself, were monster-themed clubs about to become the next big thing?

Leaving the Park, he turned down a side street that would take him back home.

Chewing over the thought, he concluded. Yes, monster-themed clubs were it and if they weren't? Well, he'd make them the next big thing. He could capitalize on the Silver Rupee's popularity. Maybe he'd give Traysi a call. She was always after the latest scoop for her Rumor Mill column in the Hyrule Time. She was sure to do a splash piece if he were to announce he wanted to open another club. It would add a little hype (and a bit of cheap advertising). He'd have to contact Purah as well, to let her know his plans. Get her started on scoping out possible entertainment and drafting up some advertising campaigns.

That left only left the most important pieces. Location and staff. He already knew he wouldn't want this new club to be in Castle Town. No point in competing against himself. He also felt the market in Castle Town wasn't right for that type of club anyway. Maybe Termina? He turned the idea over in his mind. Yes, Termina. The locals there were already known for having odd tastes. He would need to head there to scope out locations. Maybe... Clock Town? He'd have to give his friends a call once he got home. If he remembered right, Kidd still lived there with his girlfriend Tatl and her brother Tael. Come to think of it, Kidd might even be a good fit to run the new club.

He grinned to himself, already warming to the idea of his old friend managing the new club. Kidd had always had an interest in the lore surrounding Hyrule and Termina. Monster lore to be exact. Kidd was absolutely fascinated by tales of Stalfos and Skull kid and he used to decorate his room with masks and skulls of the various creatures said to have roamed the country side. Maybe he'd be able to decorate his new club with some of those masks and skulls? If Kidd still had them, of course. If he didn't, Link was certain Kidd would know where to get more.

Home was in sight now and Link was itching to put his plans into motion.

Well, he was until he saw the figure sitting on his front steps. Slowing down a bit to pace himself (and to wind down from his run), Link wondered what he could possibly want. He even considered turning around and retreating to the club. He could easily catch a cab and he always kept a spare set of clothes at the club. There had been many a night where he didn't even make it home. Sometimes, if he had a lot to do, it was easier to just crash on the couch in his office overlooking the club floor than to go home.

He was spotted before he had the chance to turn away. With an annoyed sigh, he picked up his pace. The person sitting on his steps popped to his feet as Link drew closer.

"Link!" The man, who was the spitting image of him, except for his black hair and green eyes, stepped forward to greet him as Link walked up to his door.

He pulled the earbuds out and tapped the screen on his phone to kill the music. His other hand dived into the pocket of his pants to get his keys. "What do you need Ravio?"

Walking passed his cousin, he unlocked his door. Completely ignoring the hurt look on Ravio's face because frankly, his cousin never visited unless there was something he needed.

Ravio was the black sheep of the family. A con man who was always looking for the next mark and had gotten himself disowned when he'd swindled Grandma. It was the one and only thing she could never forgive. Aryll was going to be furious when she found out Ravio was in town. Not that Link would tell her. He knew better. Ravio just couldn't seem to pass through town without announcing his presence.

Link was the only one still talking to Ravio. Probably because he couldn't, in good conscience, turn his back on family. Regardless of how badly they'd screwed up. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth (not that Ravio could see since his back was to him), Zelda would say it was because of his hero complex. He mentally gave himself a shake. Now was not the time to think of her.

Things were going so well between them, the last thing he needed was Ravio messing things up for him.

"Nice place."

Link winced. Was Ravio scoping out his place? Walking through to the kitchen, he retrieved a bottle of water. Ravio had followed him and was now standing awkwardly between the counters and the kitchen table.

"You're…uh…probably wondering why I am here."

Unscrewing the cap, he took a deep drink before answering him. "It crossed my mind but figured you'd tell me eventually."

"I'm in trouble." Ravio pulled out a chair and sat down. "I need your help."

"Of course, you do." Link replied, rolling his eyes. "What did you do this time?"

"It's not bad!" Ravio held up his hands in surrender. "I swear, this time it's not bad."

"You said that the last time you called me in a panic saying you need help."

"It's not like that!" Ravio defended. "And how was I supposed to know that she was a he!"

"Ghirahim is world renown for his flamboyant fashions and a lead designer used in a lot of Drag Queen shows. Ravio, you were _at_ a Drag Queen show. How could you _not_ realize…"

Link broke off, shuddering at the memory of what he had to do to get Ravio out of that particular mess. It had involved traditional female Gerudo garb and swearing Nabooru to secrecy to _never_ repeat what she had seen. She'd killed herself laughing for about a good 15 minutes before she'd finally helped him get dressed. After that fiasco, he swore he would _never_ dress up like a Gerudo woman again.

"Well, at least you looked good in teal." Ravio reminisced with a crooked grin which turned into a garbled cry when Link's hand tightened around his collar.

"Didn't I tell you we would _never_ speak of that?"

Ravio held up his hands and managed to laugh nervously around Link's grip. "O-of course. It's forgotten, never happened…now what was I saying again?"

Link released him and went back to his water. "You're in trouble. Again, I might add."

"Well, it's not really trouble per se…"

Link sighed. "Just spit it out Ravio."

"My girlfriend wants to meet the family!"

Link paused with the bottle half-way to his mouth. "Girlfriend? You have a girlfriend?"

"Yes!" Ravio wailed. "She is the love of my life, my new dream, my- my Evangeline!"

Link rolled his eyes. "You watch way too many Disney movies."

"That's not the point!" Ravio squawked. "I can't have her knowing I am not exactly welcome in the family."

"So, she doesn't know how you make your living?"

"Could we focus here, Link?"

Link lifted his shoulders in apology. "Sorry, continue."

"So, I managed to talk her into baby steps. We agreed on a supper and we'll each bring someone from the family to meet. I'm going to meet her sister and she's going to meet my favorite cousin in the whole wide world."

"Don't you mean, your only cousin, who is still talking to you, in the whole wide world?" Link lifted an eyebrow and took another drink.

"Pleeeease Link." Ravio dramatically threw himself at Link's feet. "I would be forever in your debt. Anything you need, it's yours!"

Link groaned and tilted his head back. He was so going to regret this.

* * *

Zelda idly circled the rim of her water glass with the tip of her finger. Her sister, Hilda, sat across the table from her. Hilda was younger by 3 years but the two were mistaken as twins all the time. Looking almost identical except Hilda had black hair that was almost purple and ruby-red eyes. After settling her sister in her spare bedroom, Hilda had rushed them out the door to meet for dinner. Dinner with a new boyfriend had been the big surprise.

And he was late.

Zelda sighed and lifted the menu again. Normally she loved coming to the Italian restaurant Lon-Lon's but tonight, the idea of the rich food left a sour taste in her mouth. She wasn't particularly looking forward to watching her sister fawn over some man. Hilda would find some excuse to bring up Zelda's lack of a boyfriend. Hopefully it wouldn't result in her sister attempting to set her up with one of her boyfriend's friends. Like last time.

"Are we ready to order?"

Zelda lifted her eyes from the menu to the red-headed woman standing beside their table. She read the name tag before offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Malon. We're still waiting on someone."

"Two people are still missing from our party of four." Hilda sniffed and sipped her wine. "Or are you unable to count that high?"

"Hilda!" Zelda hissed and her face heated. This was why she hated going anywhere with her sister. Turning to Malon, she tried to smooth things over. "Uh, sorry about that. She's just nervous. First time meeting the boyfriend's family."

"Ah." With an understanding smile, Malon tucked her notepad in the front of her apron. "I'll come back when the rest of your party arrives."

"Thank you." Zelda murmured gratefully. Last thing she wanted was to piss off the person who'd be handling the food.

"It's so unlike him to be late." Hilda worried her bottom lip and twisted in her chair. "He said he knew this place and would have no problem finding it."

She'd never liked seeing her sister worry. Reaching across the table, she laid a hand over Hilda's. "I'm sure he's just caught up in traffic. He'll be here soon."

Hilda smiled, a light blush dusting over cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "Thanks, Zellie. He means a lot to me. I…really want this to go well."

Zelda returned the smile and held up her right hand and placed her left over her heart. "I swear to be on my best behaviour."

Her sister giggled and toyed with the stem of her wine glass. "I never doubted you would." Face turning solemn, it was her turn to reach across the table to grasp Zelda's hands. "Mom said you finally broke things off with Ralph. I was so happy to hear that, because you deserve better than him, but are you alright? How've you been holding up?"

Zelda flushed and looked down at their joined hands. It wasn't often that her sister did the 'sisterly concern' thing. It reminded her, even with their differences, they always had each other's backs. "I… things were hard at first. By the end of our relationship he was a completely different person. I… feel the person he portrayed himself as in the beginning was all a lie just to get me to trust him. It's been hard to trust my instincts again after being so wrong about him."

"But, you listened to those instincts when faced with the truth." Hilda released her hands and sat back in her chair. "You have to remember that Zelda and you did the right thing by leaving him. There was always something about him I didn't quite like…"

"Hildie!"

A masculine voice interrupted and both sisters glanced up to see a man standing at their table. Zelda had to do a double take because he was the spitting image of Link. Except, her eyes narrowed, he had black hair and green eyes. A frown tugged on her mouth as her sister launched herself happily at this new man.

"Ravie! I was afraid you weren't going to make it!"

"And leave you to worry? Never." Ravie, Zelda wondered what his actual name was, gently kissed her sister on the cheek before looking to her. "And this is the sister?"

Hilda extracted herself from Ravie's embrace. "Yes, this is my sister Zelda. Zelda, this is Ravio."

Zelda forced a smile to her lips and held out a hand. "Ravio, nice to meet you." What she really wanted to say though was, why the hell do you look so much like Link?

"Where's your cousin?" Hilda peered around Ravio.

"Oh, he dropped me off and went to park the car since we were running late." Ravio sat down and inched his chair closer to Hilda. "He'll be here in a second."

"Your cousin?" Zelda reached for her glass, her mouth suddenly dry.

"Yes, he lives here in Castle Town with his sister." Ravio smiled and picked up his menu. "Man, I haven't been here in forever!"

"Uh huh." Zelda looked around for their waitress. She was going to need something stronger than water.

"What does your cousin do?" Hilda leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table and cradling her chin in her hands.

Zelda sighed, let the fawning begin. Where the hell was Malon?

"He runs a club, maybe you've heard of it?"

That caught Zelda's attention. She stared at Ravio with wide eyes. He couldn't possibly be talking about…

"Zelda?"

Her eyes rounded and she turned in her seat. Link was standing at their table, a shocked expression on his face.

Hilda's mouth fell open. "You already know each other?"

* * *

 **A/N: Ah family, always makes things interesting :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks to everyone who followed and reviewed the story! As always, I love reading your comments!**


	8. Chapter 8

"You never told me you knew him already!" Hilda accused the minute they walked through Zelda's front door.

She dropped her keys in the bowl on the small table by the door. Zelda drew a deep breath as she added her purse beside the bowl. Her sister had been babbling ever since they'd left the restaurant. Half way home, she'd stopped listening. Unfortunately for her, Hilda wasn't nearly done talking.

"I don't know what you are expecting me to say here." Crossing her arms, she eyed her sister. "Link and I had no idea the two of you were together."

"What kind of girlfriend doesn't talk to about her family?" Hilda huffed and stomped by her towards the kitchen. "I find it hard to believe you've been seeing him all this time and your family hasn't come up in conversation."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

She must have repeated those exact 4 words a hundred times tonight with Link echoing them right behind her. It didn't seem matter to either Ravio or Hilda. The two were convinced she and Link were together, regardless of being told otherwise.

Hilda snorted in disbelief and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "Then who is he to you?"

Zelda paused in getting a bottle for herself and peeked over her shoulder at Hilda. Was her sister finally listening? "He's a friend."

"Is he the one who's been helping you deal with Ralph?"

Grabbing the bottle, she closed the fridge and turned to face Hilda. "You heard about that?"

Hilda shrugged. "Ruto might have said something the last time I called her."

Tipping her head back, she drank deeply from the bottle. She really needed to have a talk with Ruto about her big mouth. She didn't like how everyone seemed so well informed about her situation. Granted, she hadn't exactly been handling the Ralph thing very well but she didn't need people butting their heads in. Particularly Hilda's. Her help could sometimes be more insulting than helpful.

"Are you going to answer me or continue to drink your water like a woman lost in the desert?"

Zelda's eyes shifted to her sister. Lowering the bottle, she ran the tip of her finger over the design on the label. "He may have helped me a bit."

"Only a bit?" Hilda lifted an eyebrow. "That's not how Ruto tells it."

"Ruto has an over-active imagination."

"Ruto is a hopeless romantic or have you not noticed it yet?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. Of course, she'd noticed her and Link had the same names of the mythical Princess and her hero from the old fairy tales. Fairy tales that happened to be not only Ruto's but her favorite stories from child hood. She and Ruto used to spend hours playing together pretending to be the Princesses from those fairy tales, but there was a difference between childhood fantasies and real life.

She would never be the Princess in those tales. She doubted the Zelda from those stories would have ever allowed herself to be entangled with someone like Ralph.

* * *

A few blocks away, Link was having a similar conversation with his cousin.

"We're friends Ravio, so you can cut the hysterics already."

"She's going to think I lied to her though!" Ravio wailed and flung himself down on Link's couch. "This meeting tonight was supposed to be the first ever time either of our families had met…"

Link groaned. He really didn't have the patience for this tonight. "It still kind of was. Zelda and I have never talked about our families before."

"But you already knew each other!" Ravio perked up. "I know! We'll get Aryll! Aryll hasn't met Zelda yet, has she?"

That was a terrible idea on way too many different levels. "Did you forget you're not exactly speaking to Aryll right now?"

He didn't bother to mention Aryll didn't like Zelda.

Ravio deflated and sunk back down. "Right, oh how unfair life is to stand in the way of true love."

"Holy Farore, over-dramatic much?"

Throwing his hands in the air, Link left his cousin floundering on the couch. Flicking on the light in the kitchen, he pulled his kettle out and started to fill it with water.

"Hilda didn't seem bothered by us knowing each other. You're over thinking this."

"Am I?" Ravio groused, following him into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

He looked over his should at his cousin. "I'm going to make tea."

"Tea?" Ravio wrinkled his nose.

"Yes, tea." Turning off the water, he placed the kettle on a burner and turned on the stove. Finally noticing Ravio's face, Link laughed. "What's with the face? You don't have to have any."

"I'll take hot chocolate if you have it." Ravio seated himself at the kitchen table. The change of conversation seemed to have calmed him down (much to Link's relief). "So, how'd you meet her anyway?"

"Who, Zelda?" Link opened another cupboard to grab his canister of loose tea and the hot chocolate.

"Well I wasn't talking about Hilda."

"At the club." He absently grabbed a couple of mugs. "Her ex was giving her problems and I stepped in."

"Always gotta be the hero, hey?"

Filling his tea ball, Link ignored Ravio's comment. He was tired of people saying that about him. No, he didn't always have to be the hero. He just wasn't comfortable standing by if someone needed help. And, he cringed, wasn't that the very definition of a hero? He dropped the tea ball into his cup. So, maybe he had a bit of a hero complex. It wasn't a bad thing. If anything, it was a compliment to his character…So why did he always feel like people were insulting him when they said it?

"Yo, Hyrule to Link?" Ravio tapped him on the shoulder. "Where'd you go?"

Blinking away his train of thought, Link shoved the canister of hot chocolate into Ravio's hands. "No where. Just, never mind."

Giving him an odd look, Ravio popped the lid off the hot chocolate and reached for the spoon Link had been using. "Are you ok?"

Link didn't know if he had an answer to Ravio's question. Not that it mattered, Ravio didn't give him the chance to answer. Link would have been annoyed if he wasn't so used to it by now. Ravio was good at faking concern. He was just never able to follow through with the act.

He always forgot to let the person tell him what's wrong.

"So, I gotta say, they sure don't act like they're descended from royalty."

Completely thrown off guard, Link nearly missed pouring the hot water in his cup. "I'm sorry, but…huh?"

Taking the kettle from Link, Ravio shrugged and sloshed water into his own cup. "Hilda and Zelda. The two are direct descendants of the royal family of Hyrule but neither act like it. Well, maybe Hilda does, a bit."

"What are you talking about?"

Ravio swirled his spoon in his cup. "I've traced their family all the way back to the original royal family of Hyrule."

"Ya, I got that part." His tea completely forgotten, Link tried to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What I don't understand is the why."

"I have a buyer interested in a really old artifact from the days of the Royal family. If I pull off this job I'll be able to retire permanently!" Licking the spoon, Ravio gently tossed it into the sink.

"Retire?" Link shook his head. The more his cousin said, the less sense he made. "Not that I don't think it would be great if you got out of the con business but you've never talked about retiring before."

"That was before Hilda." Getting a dreaming look in his eyes, Ravio sunk into his seat at the table with a wistful sigh. "I want to give her the world, the moon, the-the stars!"

"And stealing from her family will do that?" Link asked, arching an eyebrow. "You don't think that might, oh I don't know, be a deal breaker for her?"

"Hilda is an archeologist, remember?"

Link barely remembered anything from dinner. He'd tuned out most of it the minute Ravio and Hilda had started the mushy talk.

Giving him an annoyed look, Ravio filled in what Link had missed. "Hilda has been doing a lot of research into the Royal family. She traced her roots back to the original Royal family." Looking exuberant, Ravio tilted back in his chair. "It's so exciting! She's this close," He held up the finger and thumb of his left hand for emphasis, "to figuring out where the family had their estate. Once we figure that out, I'll be able to find the sword for my client!"

"Sword?" A chill ran down his spine. "Weren't you looking for a sword that time with Ghirahim too?"

"Same client, different sword," Ravio waved a hand dismissively. "My client figures that sword was lost to time. This is different though. This sword has been mentioned in a million places throughout history."

"And what sword is that?"

"The Master Sword." Ravio said with a flourish of his hands.

"The Master...Ravio that's a fairy tale!"

Ravio laughed. "I'm not talking about the one that's supposed to cut down evil and all that jazz. Even I know that sword doesn't exist."

Link rubbed a hand over his face. "There's only one sword named 'The Master Sword' Ravio."

"Not according to Hilda's research." Ravio said smugly. "She's found a ton of records that mention the sword. It was used for ceremony. You know, Knighting people and…stuff." He screwed up his face in though. "She was actually going to talk to her mother about it. She thinks it's unlikely the sword was truly lost. It's probably been passed down in secret all these years."

"You're using Hilda!" Link slammed a hand down on the table. He felt sick. He should have realized Ravio had an angle he was playing. "I thought you said you cared for her!"

"I do!" Looking insulted, Ravio jumped to his feet. "I'll admit I intended to use her at first but once I met her, everything changed! I love her, Link! I plan to ask her to marry me after this job!"

"You're nuts. If she finds this 'Master Sword', she will never let you walk away with it. You said it yourself! She's an archeologist! She'll want to donate it to a museum."

"Not if it goes missing again." Ravio stated quietly. "That's where I was hoping you'd help me."

"What?" Link's eyes rounded.

"If we find the sword, I need you to – "

"No."

Ravio gave him a pleading look. "Please Link? She'll never know it was you!"

"No!"

"I can't do this on my own!"

"Then maybe that's a sign you shouldn't do it at all!" Grabbing his cold cup of tea, Link dumped it down the sink.

He didn't want it anymore. The way he was feeling, it would only come back up if he drank it.

"My client won't rest until he has this sword! It's best if I get it for him!" Ravio clasped his hands together and fell to his knees. "Please, please, please Link! If I don't do it, he'll just ask someone else to and they might not use a peaceful approach to get the sword."

"That's low." Link growled, his back to Ravio. He didn't need to see his cousin to know Ravio was on his knees.

"You wouldn't want Hilda or-or Zelda to get hurt, would you?"

Zelda? Link frowned and finally glanced over his shoulder. What would Zelda have to do with any of this?

"If it's an heirloom that has been passed down, Hilda believes Zelda would have it. She's apparently their mother's favorite." As an after thought, Ravio added, "according to Hilda."

Link took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Who is your client, Ravio? Is he really that dangerous?"

"Um, I don't think so?" Ravio smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "A little eccentric but…I don't know. After asking around, I heard he doesn't take 'no' for an answer and he always gets what he wants."

"And that screamed, 'I should work for him' to you?" Link shook his head incredulously. "You've done some stupid things in the past Ravio but this…you really out-did yourself this time."

"I sort of found that out after I accepted the job."

Link groaned. "Of course, you did."

"So, you'll help me?"

His lips thinned. He wanted to say no, but Ravio's words from earlier made him pause. If Ravio failed, this client would just send someone else. Zelda could be in danger if this someone decided to use a different approach than his cousin.

"I'm not stealing anything."

Ravio jumped up, a huge grin on his face. "No, no of course not. wouldn't dream of it."

Link wasn't fooled. Ravio would bring up the matter of getting the sword again, just at another time.

"I also won't do anything that will put Zelda or anyone in danger."

Ravio grinned slyly. "But Zelda specifically huh? You sure you're only friends?"

Link rolled his eyes. "I can be concerned about a friend's welfare Ravio."

Ravio held up his hands in a sign of surrender. "Hey, not judging, just saying."

Link ground his teeth in frustration. He got enough teasing from Nabooru about his platonic relationship with Zelda. Probably because anyone who knew him, could see he was developing strong feelings for the blonde. He'd at least gotten them to move into friend territory, now he just had to work himself out of the friend zone Zelda seemed determined to keep him in.

"I feel the same about Hilda, just so you know."

Link didn't comment. Ravio wasn't known for his sincerity. "So, what's your plan?"

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited this story! To answer a question, I will try to post a new chapter every weekend. I'm currently going through "By your side" and editing the grammar in the main doc of my computer. I may end up updating the chapters on Fanfic. I'm still undecided since I haven't changed anything, just corrected a few grammar/wording mistakes.**


	9. Chapter 9

Link shifted uncomfortably. They should have taken his car. He shifted again and Zelda yelped. Shooting her an apologetic smile, he inched over to the left as far as he could. At least his back seat was roomy enough for two adults.

In the front seat, Ravio looked at him through the review mirror. "You two ok back there?"

Link exchanged a glance with Zelda before they both forced smiles to their faces and nodded.

Hilda, who was also sitting up front, twisted in her seat and propped an arm over the back of the bench seat. "You two kind of look squished, are you sure?"

Link rolled his eyes and he was sure Zelda's expression mirrored his own exasperated look.

The two of them were currently crammed into the back seat of Ravio's car. A mishmash of car parts that made it impossible to tell the make and model the vehicle had started out as. The car was the only evidence of Ravio's failed attempt scam of selling 'fusion cars', vehicles he'd tried to pass of as new, one-of-a-kind fusion hybrids. Ravio's ridiculous prices and a lawsuit ensured his scheme had never taken off. Well, that and because anyone with a brain could see Ravio had fused used vehicle parts together to form his 'hybrid fusions'.

From what he could remember, Ravio had been forced to destroy any cars he'd put together. He wasn't sure how this one had slipped through the cracks. He also wasn't entirely sure he wanted to call attention to it. He really didn't want to inadvertently cause Ravio to launch into a detailed description of how he put the car together.

He was positive his cousin may have skipped vital steps when he'd built this contraption and he felt the less he knew, the better for his sanity. Plus, he really shouldn't be complaining about the lack of room. It meant Zelda was practically sitting on his lap. In fact, her hand was on his knee right now as she shifted in her seat…again…for the third time. He swallowed thickly and forced his eyes forward.

"Couldn't we have taken someone else's car?" Finally noticing where her hand was, Zelda yanked her hand off his knee like he'd burned her and whispered a soft apology.

He smiled and shrugged.

Completely missing the interaction between the two, Hilda answer her question. "Ravie offered to drive. Don't be rude, Zelda."

Link coughed. "Well, to be fair, she had no idea what he drives."

"But you did." Zelda's narrowed and Link gulped. She was on to him…

"Link offered." Ravio added, his eyes watching the two in the review mirror again. "I wouldn't hear of it. He's already giving me a place to stay while I'm here. The least I could do was drive us all to the fair."

Link glanced out his window and tried to not think of their destination. He hadn't been to the Twilight Fair since he was, what? Sixteen? Or maybe he'd been fifteen? So, just over ten years ago. He couldn't find it in himself to be excited about it either.

He had a mission.

The minute they got to the fair, Ravio would suggest they split up. Link was supposed to use the time to get Zelda talking about her family. He had to try and steer her towards talking about family history and heirlooms. He had no desire, or any reason, to bring the subject up but he'd agreed to help Ravio.

He sighed. If Aryll found out he was tangled up in one of Ravio's schemes, she'd kill him. He glanced at Zelda out of the corner of his eye. He didn't even want to think of what she'd do if she figured out what Ravio (and by extension, he) was doing. Their friendship was tenuous and he was terrified this would ruin it.

But he would never forgive himself if Zelda got hurt because he left Ravio to his own devices.

So, really, his mission had three parts. One, figure out if Zelda's family had an old heirloom called the Master Sword. Two, don't let Zelda find out. And three, don't let Aryll find out. He slumped down in his seat. After this, Ravio was going to owe him…big time.

* * *

Zelda kept her hands firmly clasped together and in her lap. She'd been horrified when she'd noticed she had her hand on Link's knee. They were friends. You don't go around resting your hand on a friend's knee. They were liable to take it the wrong way. She gave Link a sideways glance. Mind you, he hadn't seemed to mind. Blushing she looked out the front window and tried to ignore the snuggling couple in the front seat.

Hilda had surprised her when she'd suggested they all go to the Twilight Fair. After meeting Ravio, she'd expected her sister to ditch her for the remainder of her visit. Being included was nice but…she couldn't help but feel suspicious. Her sister had never been one to suddenly need family outings. Actually, she'd planned to go to work this morning until Hilda had sprung the idea on her. Thankfully Anju had been fine with manning the Inn on her own…again. At this rate, she was going to owe her partner a week off work after the number of days Anju had covered for her.

She shifted in her seat and became acutely aware of Link's side pressed against her own. Her face heated up. Would it have killed them to take a car with a bigger back seat? Why couldn't Ravio have let Link drive? She sighed, no use complaining about it now. She should just be thankful they hadn't asked her to drive. Her own little car probably wouldn't have accommodated their group any better.

"So, have you been to the fair before?" Her question was directed at Link.

Hilda and Ravio were lost to their own little world. Their gentle cooing drifting from the front seat and made her wish Ravio would turn up the music or something. Link shifted in his seat. The way he'd managed to bend his tall frame into the compact back seat made her wonder how he could possibly be comfortable.

"Ah, it's been a few years. You?"

"Not since we were little." Feeling a bit melancholy, she looped her hands around her knees and leaned back in the cramped space.

It was a complete lie.

The last time she'd been to the fair had been when Ralph had taken her. She had just started dating Ralph. Her mouth twisted into a wistful smile, he'd been so sweet back then. He'd spent at least forty dollars trying to win her a stuffed teddy bear. All because she'd asked.

"Mom and dad used to take us every year until we hit high school. Then Hilda decided fairs were childish and refused to go." She tilted her head to the side to watch Link. That time she hadn't told a complete lie. Hilda had been the reason they'd stopped going as a family.

She hadn't gone since until she'd met Ralph.

Placing his arm along the back of the seat, Link tilted his head back. "Ya, it was kind of the same for me too. Grandma would take me and Aryll every year but once we both reached high school, we decided to go with friends instead."

"That must have been nice." Giving him a wistful smile, she turned to look out the side window.

She'd noticed he'd left his arm along the back seat but she didn't feel like he was trying to make a move. So long as he didn't start playing with her hair, she'd leave it alone. He probably was just stretching his arm out anyway. Stupid, cramped backseat.

What ever happened to that bear? She wondered, the wistful smile slowly melting to a frown. She'd loved that little stuffed bear and had proudly displayed it right up until…

"Wait? Did you just say the last time you went was when we were kids?"

Zelda turned away from the window, her stomach dropping as her sister twisted around in her seat. She pleaded with her eyes for Hilda to keep quiet.

Unfortunately, her sister was never one to listen to her silent cues.

"Ralph took you that one time." Hilda pursed her lips in thought. "I actually remember it quite clearly. He won you this tacky little bear. You wouldn't shut up about it."

Blushing furiously, Zelda slouched down her seat. Hopefully Hilda would stop her re-telling there.

"It used to sit on your bed all the time." Hilda giggled and Zelda desperately prayed for a big hole to swallow her whole.

Ignoring her sister's discomfort, Hilda turned to Ravio. "She was so proud of that little piece of fluff Ralph won for her. He used to complain they were too old to have stuffed toys on their bed but she insisted. Said something about it being too special to hide away in a closet since it was the first ever carnival prize a boyfriend had won for her."

Link listened silently, his gaze on Zelda.

Hilda twisted back around to her. "What ever happened to that thing? Did you pack it away?"

Zelda couldn't meet Hilda's eyes. "N-not exactly."

"Oh!" A look of understanding passed through Hilda's eyes. "Of course, you gave it back to Ralph. That was thoughtful of you."

Zelda pressed her lips together. "Y-ya, I did."

Truth was, she didn't have it anymore. Her precious little keepsake had lasted maybe 6 months before Ralph had torn the head off in a fit of rage. She blinked rapidly and inwardly cursed.

How could something that had happened a year and half a go still bring tears to her eyes? She snorted softly to herself. Ralph had always picked on her for being too soft. She couldn't help it though. That little bear had meant so much to her. It still hurt to think of how disrespectful Ralph had been towards her. She'd once believed he'd cared for her but, slowly, that changed the longer they'd been together.

The little bear had only been the first thing of hers Ralph had destroyed.

"Zelda?"

She glanced up. Link was giving her a concerned look. Hilda and Ravio were both facing forward again. Something she was grateful for. Link always seemed to have an uncanny ability to tell when something was getting her down.

Like now.

"Where'd you go just now?" Idly he ran the tips of his fingers over the crown of her head. She could just barely feel his soft touch on her hair.

Realizing she was still slouching, she sat up straight and Link's fingers stilled before he could brush them along the back of her neck.

"I don't know what you mean."

He didn't look convinced, but at least he let it go.

* * *

Link's gaze remained steady on Zelda. He'd barely noticed when Ravio and Hilda had slipped away the minute they reached the fairgrounds, giggling about finding the tunnel of love. The tunnel of love was the one ride he certainly couldn't take Zelda on, but…he eyed the other rides close to them. The spinning tea-cups, the Ferris wheel and the giant swings were all safe choices for a couple of friends looking to enjoy the twilight fair.

Beside him, Zelda hugged herself and watched the excited children dragging their parents towards the lineups of the more popular rides. He hated the haunted look in her eye. It had been there ever since Hilda had called her out on her lie. He wished Hilda had left Zelda alone about her white lie. It was obvious to him that Ralph had taken a memory she'd once treasured and had ruined it. He didn't know how and he respected Zelda enough to not ask.

He could at least replace the memory Ralph ruined with a new one.

"So, where to first?"

"Oh, um." Her eyes wandered to the different rides surrounding them until she pointed to one. "How about we start there?"

"The Koloktos?" He eyed the golden automaton with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The Koloktos had six arms and held an open curved pot in each hand. A lot like the spinning tea cups, riders could make the pots spin. While the pots spun, the arms would raise and lower themselves while the entire body spun in the opposite direction. Link felt slightly sick just looking at it.

"Unless you have a problem with spinning rides?"

His eyes darted to her and caught the teasing way her lips curled into a smile. Licking his lips, he looked back to the ride. The most recent batch of riders were being let off. Most walked with a slight wobble to their step, while a few others held their stomach and looked a little green. Closing his eyes, he sent a silent prayer to Farore that this ride wouldn't make a liar out of him.

"I can handle anything you can." Flashing her a bright grin, he walked towards the Koloktos with a false bravado.

An hour later and he felt she was purposely trying to get him to lose his lunch. She must have found every spinning, twirling and twisting ride they had at this bloody fair. Gripping the rail tightly, he nervously watched as the carnival attendant walked around the ride. As he passed by, he would lean over and secure the harness in place before moving on to the next car. When the attendant passed out of sight, Link shifted his attention to Zelda. A large smile stretched over her face. She was almost bouncing in her seat from excitement. He muffled his groan and turned ahead. He could do this.

Gerudo Nights would not be the ride to do him in. He and Zelda sat in a small car…or maybe it was more of a pod? The pods/cars were connected to each other in a huge circle. The track the pods/cars were on was slightly raised at one end. Painted Desert scenes surrounded them and the loud music made it almost impossible to talk.

The attendant had returned to his spot by the controls. Link's grip tightened on the bar in front on him and Zelda. The switch was flipped and the cars/pods started to move…backwards. His stomach lurched and his eyes slammed shut. He was an idiot. Why hadn't he told her the truth?

They went around the track twice, picking up speed during the second loop when suddenly they screeched to a halt. With a shuddering jolt, they changed direction and started moving forward. Link slowly cracked open his eyes to see the painted scenes fly by them in a blur of bright color and lights. The music blaring in his ears disorientated him further and he helplessly shut his eyes again.

He would not throw up. He absolutely would NOT throw up.

He wasn't sure his stomach was listening.

High peals of laughter had him opening his eyes again but this time it wasn't the scenery he saw or the endless circular motion of the cars passing along the track. It was Zelda. She held her arms above her head (like a few other people on this death ride), excited laughter bubbled out as they spun around the track. When they switch directions, she was thrown forward and held in place by the harness over her shoulders. Catching him watching her, she gave him an excited grin and suddenly those arms were around him as she held onto him.

They hit the raised section of the track going backwards. As the cars jolted with the change in altitude, Zelda squealed and held him tighter. He watched her in stunned silence, his stomach completely forgotten. She looked like she hadn't a care in the world. So carefree. All memories of Ralph completely forgotten for the moment.

He swallowed thickly. He was pretty sure he was falling in love with her…

The ride came to a jolting stop and the harnesses holding them in place unlocked. Still stunned by his revelation, he blindly followed her from the ride and back out onto the midway. It was while he was staring at her that he noticed her wistful glances at the game booths as they walked by them. Blinking to clear his head, he focused more carefully on which prizes seemed to draw her attention.

"Do you want something to eat?"

Pulling her attention from a ring toss game. Link fixed a grin in place. He didn't want her to know what he was planning. Well, at least not yet.

"Sure."

Taking her by the hand, he started to lead her towards an area he'd seen earlier with a bunch of carnival games. He remembered the sad look in her eyes when Hilda had mentioned the stuffed bear and he didn't believe, for a second, that Zelda had returned the bear to Ralph. He'd done something to it. Probably ripped the memento in half or something. There was nothing he could do about the stuffed bear but…Backed against a large field, he saw the game he'd been looking for.

"Where are we going?" Zelda looked over her shoulder. "The food stands are the other way."

"I know." He grinned back at her. "We'll head there in a second."

"Where –"She broke off abruptly, finally spotting the stand he was steering them towards. "Link, what are you doing?"

They stopped in front of the stand. A tall twili man leaned against one of the supports, an array of bows laid out on the counter in front of him. The prizes, stuffed toys of various sizes, hung over head from the netted roof.

Link eyed the prizes before turning to her. "Pick one."

She blinked in confusion. "What?"

He gestured to the stuffed prizes. "Which one do you want?"

Understanding lit her eyes and she quickly started to shake her head. "No, you can't…"

"I want to." He turned to the man behind the counter. "What do I have to do?"

Grinning slyly, the man leaned forward and nodded to the bows in front of him. "I send up a bunch of controlled targets. Your prize depends on the number of targets you hit."

Link nodded, and turned back to Zelda. "See, easy enough. Now what do you want?"

She protested again but he caught her unwillingly eyeing up a large stuffed wolf with blue eyes. "You want that one?" He pointed to the wolf and Zelda blushed.

He grinned. Yep, she wanted the wolf.

"What do I have to do to get that one?" He nodded towards the wolf.

A greedy gleam entered the other man's eyes even as Zelda hissed. "Link, that's easily the biggest prize up there. You'll have to do something ridiculous…"

"You shoot targets until I blow this whistle." He held up a small silver whistle he had on a chain around his neck. "Or until you miss one. If you hit all the targets and last until I blow the whistle, the wolf is yours."

Link nodded and eyed the bows.

"Link, please. You don't have to do this." Tugging on his hand, Zelda tried to pull him away from the stand. "This is too much. I-I don't need you to blow all your rupees trying to win me a stupid prize that will just collect dust."

A shocked gasp and a brilliant flush told him she hadn't meant to say that last part. Ralph must have said those exact words for her to repeat them unconsciously. Determined, he chose a bow.

He would win her the wolf.

"How much to play?"

"Ten rupees." The carnival worker held out his hand expectantly. His grin widening when Link paid him. "Remember, you have to hit all the targets until I blow the whistle."

Ducking down, he scooped up an armful of arrows and dumped them unceremoniously on the counter between them. "Balloons will be launched out in the field."

Link selected his first arrow and turned to the field with narrowed eyes. Halfway down the field a balloon, powered by a small propeller on top, launched into the air at a dizzying speed. He traced the flight pattern with his eyes as he instinctively nocked the arrow. Pulling back on the bow string, he lifted the bow and aimed carefully before releasing the arrow.

The balloon burst in a cloud of sparkles as his arrow passed through it. Link grinned and another balloon launched into the air. He was pleased to find the bow didn't seem to be altered. He knocked another arrow and watched with satisfaction as another balloon popped. The game was just like he remembered. It relied on actual talent, not some sort of gimmick.

Two balloons flew up, circling each other. Link took them both out when they crossed paths. He blindly reached for another arrow. Three balloons appeared even further down the field. Shooting three consecutive arrows, he listened for the tell-tale pop while moving his remaining arrows closer. He continued shooting down the targets for another 15 minutes when the trill of the carnival worker's whistle broke the silence.

Setting the bow down, he gave the disgruntled worker a smug smile and nodded to the stuffed wolf. "I'll take that wolf now."

Grumbling to himself, the tall twili fished the stuffed animal down from his display of prizes. Handing the wolf to Link, he turned and presented it to Zelda with exaggerated flourish.

"For you milady."

Hugging the wolf to her chest, she licked her lips and gently ran a hand over the soft fur of the toy. "Th-thank you Link."

He smiled. "Your welcome." He held his arm to her. "Now, where to?"

"I've never seen anyone best Zant's archery game like that."

A tall twili woman stood behind them. Dressed in a draping dress that left most of her right leg exposed, her hand rested lightly on the head of the wolf pressed against her left leg. The markings on the wolf were similar to the toy Link had won for Zelda. So much so, it was obvious the wolf had been the inspiration for the toy.

Not liking the secretive smile on the (admittedly) beautiful twili woman, Link carefully tucked Zelda against his side. "Can I help you?"

His question only made her smile wider. "Your skill with a bow is impressive. You've been professionally trained?"

His eyes narrowed. "You came over here just to comment on my archery skills?"

She laughed and ran her hand affectionately over her wolf companion. "No, I'm afraid not. Please, walk with me."

"And if I refuse?"

She raised an eyebrow and her smile turned cold. "You are mistaken if you thought that was a request."

Turning on her heel, she started to walk away. The wolf, didn't follow her immediately. Watching them with solemn eyes, it bared its teeth and growled lowly before circling around them. Butting the backs of their knees with its head, Link and Zelda had no choice but to follow her.

"Who are you?"

The woman glanced back at Zelda. "My name is Midna. I own the Twilight fair." Midna's gaze dropped down to the wolf at their heels. Smiling, she gestured a sign with her hand and the wolf immediately trotted ahead to walk at her side. "I am hoping you will have some answers for me."

"What answers?"

Midna ran her fingers through her wolf's fur. "A man named Ravio was caught trying to steal one of our Sols. These orbs are very important and hard to come by. We use them to power most of our attractions here."

Link closed his eyes. Of course, he should have known Ravio would have ulterior motives for coming to the fair. It didn't explain why Midna had searched them out though. He was almost afraid to ask.

"What do we have to do with this?" Zelda questioned, gripping the stuffed wolf even tighter. "Is my sister involved?"

"Your sister?" Midna tapped a finger thoughtfully to her lips. "Come to think of it, there was a woman standing guard outside while he rummaged through our storage facility. Would that be her?"

Zelda's shoulders slumped. "It sounds like her."

Link stifled a groan. What had Ravio gotten them into?


	10. Chapter 10

Zelda hugged the stuffed wolf against her chest. She wasn't sure what to expect when Midna opened the door to where she was keeping Ravio and Hilda. Her imagination kept coming up with scenarios that had gotten increasingly worse during the walk over to, what she assumed, was Midna's office. Leaning around Link (who had a habit of keeping her a step behind him when he felt something was wrong), she'd been surprised by what she saw.

The pair were sitting in front of a cluttered desk and both leapt to their feet the minute the door opened. A relieved smile lit Ravio's face but it was Hilda who drew her attention. With her color high and her eyes alight with excitement, Hilda was all but bouncing on the spot. Zelda's mouth pulled down in a frown. Her sister didn't look at all concerned they'd been caught stealing.

"Zellie! Oh, Zellie it's amazing!" Hilda stepped towards her, completely ignoring the warning growl from the wolf at Midna's side. "It really exists! Just like all those musty old texts say!"

Zelda's frown only grew darker as she tried to make sense of what Hilda was saying. What really existed? She thought back to what Midna had said earlier. Ravio and Hilda had been caught trying to steal something called a Sol. Hadn't she said something about these Sols powering…Zelda's thought ground to a halt when she remembered.

About a year ago, Hilda had thrown herself into scriptures and books surrounding the ancient Myths of Hyrule. She'd been completely obsessed with the Myth of Twilight. An old story telling the tale of a hero with the ability to transform into a wolf and a Kingdom forever doomed to live its days caught in twilight. Several scholars believe the origins of the Twili people could be traced from the story of the Twilight Kingdom. But, if that were true, it would mean magic existed and, somewhere there was a great, powerful evil trapped in an alternate reality.

Zelda had always felt the stories, while interesting to read, were the works of someone with a fabulous imagination. Hilda had always felt differently.

"Really Hilda?" Zelda hugged her stuffed wolf tighter. "Chasing your fairy tales again?"

"They are not fairy tales!" Hilda clasped her hands together and Zelda could almost see the stars in her sister's eyes. "I found a Sol. An honest to goodness Sol! Do you know what this could mean for us?"

Zelda groaned. She knew very well what this could mean. If she allowed her sister to run rampant. "I'm sure what you saw was a very clever likeness of a Sol. An imitation of something meant to look and act like those power sources from the legends."

"Wait, you mean this was not something Ravio dragged your sister into?" Link looked utterly shocked and Zelda had to bite back a smile.

If Ravio was going along with Hilda schemes, it looked like they had another thing in common. They both had incredibly gullible family. "No, the stories surrounding the Twilight Kingdom are a favorite of hers. If she thought those power sources were real artifacts from the legends? Nothing would have stopped her from trying to take one."

Looking hurt, Hilda shifted her attention between Zelda and Link. "But, Zellie…"

Ignoring her sister, Zelda turned to Midna. The Twili woman had remained silent during their entire exchange. An amused smiled curled her mouth and her left hand was absently stroking her wolf companion's head.

"I apologize if my sister has caused you problems."

Midna tilted her head and studied her with amber eyes. "You do not think as your sister does?"

"What? That the batteries you use for the fair are magical orbs of never ending energy?" Zelda laughed. "Goddesses no, that's just ridiculous."

Midna hummed and glanced down at the wolf sitting at her feet. Zelda swore the wolf shrugged but that was almost as ridiculous as the idea of an orb with never ending energy.

"You were always so quick to close your mind to the legends!" Hilda argued before Midna could say anything. Crossing her arms, Hilda glared at Midna. "You owe it to the world to show Sols exist! They are proof the legends are true!"

"I'm with Hilda on this one." Ravio piped up but quickly shut his mouth when Link glared at him. Bowing his head, he shuffled his feet. "Well, I am." He mumbled quietly.

Midna shook her head, her amused smile still fixed in place. "It's as your sister said. They are batteries, nothing more." Midna affectionately ruffled the fur around her wolf companion's neck. "Their…construction is a closely guarded secret of the Twili. A secret we have no desire to part with."

Hilda looked like she wanted to say more but Zelda quickly sidled up to her sister and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Of course. We wouldn't dream of bringing this to anyone's attention. The batteries are meant to keep with the Twilight theme. Right?"

Midna's mouth curled into a tight smile. "Yes, of course." She exchanged a look with the wolf and sighed. "I hope you do not make me regret this, but I will allow your sister and Ravio to go."

"Just like that?" Link asked with a note of suspicion.

She agreed with Link, it seemed suspicious. On the way over here, she'd gotten the distinct impression Midna was incredibly angry Hilda and Ravio had tried to steal from her. So, what had changed?

Midna nodded. "Yes, just like that. We…like our privacy and do not wish to draw attention to ourselves." She looked pointedly at Hilda and Ravio. "Those two would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention to our little fair. We want nothing of the sort."

Hilda yanked Zelda's hand away from her mouth. "You think letting us go will keep us quiet?"

"No." Midna's eyes shifted to Link and Zelda. "I believe those two will keep you and your boyfriend quiet."

Hilda's laughter died and turned into a glare she directed at Link and Zelda. Midna smiled and strolled passed them to her desk. Her faithful wolf close at her heels.

"I only ask you leave the fair." Settling in her chair, Midna propped her elbows on her desk. She smiled smugly at the four of them. "And do know, if I hear of any whispers about the Twilight Myths and Sols, I'll know exactly who to hunt down."

Zelda shivered at the veiled threat in Midna's voice. She had no doubt the woman would track them down. Midna struck her as the type to take matters into her own hands.

Zelda suddenly wanted to get as far away from the Twilight fair as possible.

* * *

Link followed behind Zelda. He still couldn't quite believe Ravio hadn't been behind the attempted thievery. He twisted around and started to walk backwards to watch Ravio and Hilda. The pair was trailing behind them with their heads together. Even from here he could tell they were planning something. He frowned and glanced over his shoulder at Zelda. She hadn't noticed the way Hilda and Ravio were slowly falling behind.

Zelda was walking with a purpose. The purpose being she wanted to get the hell away from the fair. He didn't blame her. Midna had spooked him too. He'd never met someone who'd kept a wolf as a pet and the wolf? Well, he'd never had reason to be so close to one but he wondered if they all had the same intelligence lingering behind there eyes.

"Hey, Zelda?"

She turned around when he called her and no further words were needed on his part. She immediately noticed the lagging pair.

"Hilda?" Hands on her hips, Zelda pressed her lips together. "Don't you dare try to slip away."

Pouting, no doubt because she'd been caught, Hilda shot him a dirty look and grasped Ravio's hands. "I don't know why you're in such a hurry to leave."

Link's eyes widened in disbelief. Did she not see the wolf?

"You are incredibly lucky Midna didn't press charges for the attempted theft."

"As if she was going to call the authorities." Hilda huffed indignantly. "Didn't you hear her? She doesn't want to draw any attention to the fair. There is nothing she can do if we decide to stick around."

"Most people would think Midna's aversion to calling the authorities would mean she likes to take matters into her own hands." He quietly coughed into his hand. Normally, if this had been Ravio's plan, he'd have no problem with voicing his thoughts. But it felt odd scolding Zelda's sister.

Zelda didn't seem to mind though judging by the grateful smile she sent his way. "There see, I'm not the only one who thinks we should leave before Midna changes her mind."

Grabbing Ravio's hand, Hilda pulled him over to a near by bench and yanked him down beside her when she sat down. "We are not leaving this spot. I'm not leaving without a Sol."

Completely speechless, he was pretty sure his jaw was hanging somewhere around his feet. Hilda was being positively childish over this. Unfortunately, Ravio was lapping it up. The look of adoration on his face made Link want to gag. His cousin had truly found a partner in crime with Hilda.

"Goddesses Hilda, will you grow up already?" In two quick strides, Zelda was in front of her. Reaching out, she latched on to her sister's ear and pinched until Hilda was on her feet.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow." Wailing horribly, Hilda hobbled after her sister. "Zelda, you promised…"

"And you promised to stop throwing hissy fits when you don't get you way." Zelda hissed back, still leading her sister by the ear. Glancing over her shoulder at Ravio, she raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming or do I need to pinch your ear too?"

Ravio paled. "N-no ma'am. I-I mean y-yes ma'am, I-I mean I'm coming."

Giving a satisfied nod, she winked at Link as she passed by with Hilda in tow. "Now, lets get these two both home before they get us into more trouble."

He found it really hard to hide his admiration. In fact, he was pretty sure he was failing miserably but he couldn't help it. Seeing Zelda take command was a turn on in so many ways. Swallowing thickly, he wondered how he was ever going to be satisfied with being just her friend.

* * *

Hilda pushed past Zelda and furiously threw her purse on the couch. "I cannot believe you wouldn't back me up!"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "I cannot believe you thought I would." Setting her own purse in its usual spot on the table by the door, she turned to her sister. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I'd finally found proof that all those texts I've been reading are more than just myths!"

"And that suddenly made it ok to steal?"

Pouting, Hilda looked away. "I was only going to take one. She made it sound like it was the only one she had."

"I don't care if she had a whole truck full of them! Nothing justifies stealing!" Zelda tiredly pressed a hand against the bridge of her nose. Her sister wasn't a small child, she shouldn't even be having this conversation with her. "Thank the goddesses Link isn't mad you dragged his cousin into your delusions."

"Delusions!"

Zelda winced, maybe she'd crossed a line but Hilda had crossed one too. "I'm sorry but you have to admit you've always had an unhealthy obsession with those myths. Before the Twilight story you were convinced our family was hiding the Master Sword from the Hero of Time legend!"

"Our family is hiding the sword." Hilda grumbled stubbornly.

"For the love of Nayru Hilda! Isn't it enough you tore apart mom and dad's home looking for a non-existent sword? At least you didn't have to worry about them pressing charges that time… "

"And Midna wouldn't either!" Hilda snatched up her purse. "Look I get it. I should have known better than to come to you."

She didn't like the hurt she saw in her sister's eyes. "Hilda, what are you?"

"I don't feel welcome here anymore." Brushing away her few tears, Hilda stepped around her and moved towards the door. "I can get a hotel room for the remainder of my stay here."

"Hilda don't go." A part of her worried Hilda's tears was real, but a greater part feared it was all an act so Hilda could try to take the Sol again. "Let's just sleep on it ok? We're both tired from the excitement at the fair…"

"I refuse to stay where I'm not welcome."

"Hilda!" Zelda pounded on the door as it swung shut in her face. Clenching a fist, her head dropped forward to rest against the cool wood. "Dammit Hilda."

* * *

"I'm amazed you came in tonight." Nabooru absently cleaned a glass and suspiciously eyed Link. "I thought you said you had plans."

Shrugging, he filled the drink order from the waiting waitress. "My plans ended prematurely." Setting the last martini on the tray, he nudged it across the bar top to the waitress.

"Did you piss off Zelda again?"

Shoulders tensing, Link gave his friend a sideways glance. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, you usually come to the Silver Rupee to sulk whenever the two of you fight." Putting the clean glass away, Nabooru nodded at the customer who'd wandered up to bar. "What can I get you buddy?"

Link rolled his eyes. Not much got past Nabooru and sadly, she was right. He usually would come to the bar to work and blow off steam after a fight with Zelda. Happily, that wasn't the case this time.

"Link!" Aryll pushed through the gathering crowd around the bar. "Where've you been? I haven't see you all day?"

Grinning at his sister, he shoved the guilt of hiding Ravio to the back of his mind. He was at the bar tonight to prevent Aryll from popping over to his place unannounced. He hadn't liked leaving Ravio alone (who knows what kind of mischief he'd get into unattended) but he didn't relish in the idea of Aryll finding out he was in town either.

"I went to the fair today."

"The fair?" Hopping up onto a barstool, Aryll leaned against the bar and waved to Nabooru. "You went to the Twilight fair without me?"

"Of course, he went without you." Nabooru chided, swinging an arm around Link's shoulders. "Linkie-poo here had a date with a cute blonde."

"A date?" Lifting an eyebrow, Aryll frowned at him. "She doesn't mean Zelda, does she?"

Removing Nabooru's arm from his shoulders, he sighed. "Really Aryll? Can't you just let it go?"

"I can't believe you did." Pushing away from the bar, Aryll shook her head. "So, you're here working off your last fight?"

"Sweet Farore, am I really that predictable?"

Laughing, she gave her brother an affectionate smile. "No, you're just that hopelessly in love with her. Most people would have taken the hint she doesn't like you by now."

"Great Goddesses! We didn't fight!" Link slammed down the glass for his next drink order a little more harshly than he meant to. "I wanted to come in and work a few hours behind the bar. Is that so bad?"

Aryll and Nabooru exchanged knowing looks. "Sure Link." Nabooru chuckled and walked to the other end of the bar where another waitress was waiting with her tray. "You tell yourself that, we'll pretend to believe you."

Watching Nabooru walk away, Aryll turned back to him. "I'm gonna find Mido. He said he'd be working tonight?"

Link's good mood turned to a glower at the mention of the surly red-head. "Really? You're still hanging around that asshole?"

Aryll grinned. "What can I say? Dating people the other sibling doesn't like must run in the family."

"If Saria catches you fooling around with her brother…"

"I do believe Saria said something along the same lines to Mido about you catching him fooling around with your little sister." Giggling, Aryll waved goodbye to him before disappearing into the crowd.

Growling to himself, he continued to make drinks like a possessed mad man. He was aware he was being a hypocrite. He'd repeatedly told Aryll Zelda wasn't a bitch, just like she'd repeatedly told him Mido wasn't really an asshole. He supposed the first step in making her believe what he was saying about Zelda was to trust her about Mido, but he didn't want to. She was his baby sister and dammit he was worried Mido would hurt her.

Of course, he didn't dare voice that opinion around Saria. He swore, Saria and Aryll had to be the only two women in all of Hyrule with stars in their eyes when it came to Mido. The man was a slimy rat who, unfortunately, ran the best security business in Castle Town. The man's specialty was security systems. He always had the latest, state of the art, equipment and sadly, Link trusted no other with his security systems. However, that didn't mean he liked Mido dating his sister.

Another drink order complete, Link loaded up the waitress's tray. Forcing a smile to his face, he turned to help the next customer when the ringing of his cell phone reached his ears. Holding up a finger to signal he'd be right with waiting customer, he turned away and grabbed his phone from his back pocket.

Zelda's number flashed across the screen and before he knew it, he'd accepted the call and had pressed the phone to his ear. "Zelda? Is everything alright?"

Her breath caught on the other end and he knew he'd guessed right. Sadly, she wasn't' calling just to 'hear his voice'…and he really needed to stop thinking like that. They were friends but his feelings had already taken a very un-friendly turn towards romantic.

"I-I don't suppose Hilda is with you and Ravio?" There was a slight tremor in her voice and he briefly wondered if she'd been crying.

Switching the phone to his other ear, he waved at Nabooru to get her attention. "I haven't seen her but I'm not with Ravio right now either."

"You're not?" There was a pause on the line before Zelda realized where he must be. "You're at the Silver Rupee?"

"Ya, I wanted to put a few hours in tonight."

Nabooru pressed her hip against the bar as she shifted her weight to one leg. She didn't ask why he'd flagged her down and he was grateful she was waiting patiently for him to get off the phone.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't realized you'd be working tonight…I should –"

"What's going on Zelda?" He didn't want her to hang up. She was worried, he could tell that much by her voice alone.

"I-I can't find Hilda." Zelda breath rattled over the phone as she sighed heavily. "I went by your place but when I saw the lights were out, I thought maybe you guys had all gone somewhere…"

The lights were out at home? Link stifled a groan. "No, I left Ravio at home when I left for work. Did you try knocking to see if –" His face heated and beside him Nabooru chuckled.

"I thought of that." Zelda replied without missing a beat. "No one was home and I pounded on the door just in case."

He wished she'd gotten them out of bed because if they weren't at his place, it was very probable they'd gone back to the Twilight fair. "Come by here and pick me up. I'll help you look."

"I can't do that, you're working –"

Again, he cut her off. "You forget I own the place. It's unlikely anyone will complain and I am not letting you go back to the Twilight fair alone."

"If Hilda and Ravio are there, I won't be alone."

Link's eyes drifted shut and he cursed her stubbornness. Beside him, Nabooru had gone still and a look of concern was easily read from her expression. "You may not be alone if they are there but you might as well be. Neither one is going to willingly leave with you."

"A-alright." Zelda whispered and Link pressed the phone tighter to his ear to hear her. "I'm almost at the Silver Rupee anyway. I'll see you in a bit."

The line disconnected and Link tucked his phone away. He was surprised she said she was close. It meant she'd already been on her way here when she'd called. He smiled grimly. She may only see him as a friend but she was already starting to rely on him when she needed help. It was a start.

"What's this about the Twilight fair and Ravio?"

He'd almost forgotten Nabooru was there. He gave her a sheepish smile. "Did I forget to mention Ravio's in town?"

* * *

 **A/N: Posting this a little early since it's the long weekend and I'm not sure how much writing I'll be able to get done. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and followed this story!**


	11. Chapter 11

"He's what?"

Link cringed at Nabooru's tone. "He's in town...and dating Zelda's sister."

She blinked and turned his words over in her head. He could see the wheels turning as she mentally repeated his half of the phone conversation she'd just heard. When her eyes narrowed on him, Link knew he was in trouble.

"What's he got you roped into this time?"

"Nothing!" He held up his hands in surrender. He couldn't tell Nabooru the truth. Her just knowing about Ravio being in town was dangerous. She could decide to tell Aryll and then he'd really be in deep shit.

"I don't believe you." Crossing her arms, she leaned toward him. "Ravio never just pops in for a visit. He's always got something up his sleeve."

"He came to town to introduce his girlfriend to the family. Since I'm the only family who's talking to him, he introduced her to me." The words tumbled from his mouth in a hurried explanation. His eyes darted to the clock to track how much time had passed since he'd hung up with Zelda. He needed to get the hell away from Nabooru before Zelda showed up. Nabooru quizzing Zelda was the last thing he needed.

"That much was the truth." Nabooru studied him, her lips pursing thoughtfully. "You're not telling me everything though."

He forced a smile to his frozen lips. He'd hoped the half-truth would be enough to satisfy Nabooru. She was like an older sister grilling a younger sibling. The only problem was he didn't know how much more he could safely tell her without setting off the warning bells in her head.

"My, my, my, am I interrupting a lover's quarrel?"

He groaned and shut his eyes. Of all the perfect timing…Fixing his smile in place, he turned to Ralph. "Who the hell let you in here?" He kept his tone pleasant but inside he was seething. This asshole wasn't supposed to be allowed in his club.

Leaning against the bar-top, Ralph grinned. "You don't look so pleased to see me? Me, a paying customer?"

"Last I heard, Darunia banned you from the club." Nabooru tilted her head. "He's off tonight but I know he passed it along to the other bouncers. We are very strict about our policies when we've banned an individual from the premise. So Link's question is valid but I will put it a little less crudely. How's you get past our bouncers?"

Looking smug, Ralph inspected his finger nails before raising his eyes to meet their glares. "How I got in doesn't matter. Does Zelda know about the two of you?"

Shit, Zelda! Link's eyes flew to the clock. Close to ten minutes had passed since she'd called. Was that enough time for her to get here? She'd said she was close. His attention reverted back to Ralph. He needed to get rid of this asshole before she showed up. At least Ralph's presence had distracted Nabooru from questioning him further about Ravio. So really, Ralph had inadvertently helped him.

Of course, he had no intention of telling Ralph that.

He scanned the room looking for any of his bouncers working tonight. A frown darkened his face when he didn't immediately see any of the Gorons who should be covering the floor. His eyes snapped to Ralph. What had he done?

"Oh? Noticing your walking rocks aren't anywhere to be seen?" Ralph's grin was back on his face.

"What did you do?" Though his arms hung loosely at his sides, Link's hands were clenched into tight fists.

Spotting a bowl of peanuts, Ralph dragged the small bowl closer to pop one into his mouth. "You think you're the only one who can have hired muscle?" Swiveling around in his seat, Ralph popped his arms on the bar as he leaned back against it. "Meet, Brac, Bremor, and Doyle."

As Ralph said their names, each man stepped forward. By their shared looks, Link assumed they were family. They were big, burly men with dark hair and thick arms. The three of them assembled in front of Ralph with their arms crossed and looking down their noses at Link. Tilting his head back, Link added 'tall' to the list of adjectives he would use to describe them.

"Nabooru?" He spoke softly but he knew she heard him when she angled her head towards him. "Who did we have on shift for Gorons tonight?"

"Bargoh, Krane, Pyle, and Rohan."

He nodded grimly. "Go see if they're alright."

Dropping her composure, Nabooru whirled on him. "And leave you alone against Ralph's goons?"

He gave her a stern look. "Nabooru!"

Clenching her teeth, Nabooru straightened her shoulders. "Fine, but don't you dare do anything stupid."

A mirthless smile curled his mouth. He'd make no such promises.

* * *

Pulling into the parking spot, Zelda shifted the car into park and eased the emergency break up. Killing the car, she pulled the keys from the ignition as she opened her door with her other hand. Twisting in her seat, she grabbed her purse from the floor behind the front passenger seat. Throwing a leg out, she carefully maneuvered herself out of the driver's seat and glanced around the brightly lit parking lot. She'd been lucky enough to find a parking spot in the crowded little lot behind the bar. She just hoped Link was ready to go.

Tucking her purse beneath her arm, she walked at a fast clip to the front of the building. The first time she'd come here, a line had stretched around the building and had nearly reached the parking lot. That had been a Saturday and thankfully, Thursday wasn't as busy. Or, she checked her watch, maybe she'd beat the crowds? It was only 7pm.

Fishing her phone out from her purse, she checked her messages. Despite the number of calls and texts she'd sent her sister, there was still no response from her. Hopefully it meant Hilda was ignoring her and something hadn't happened. She should have asked Link for Ralph's number. Throwing her phone back into her purse, she shouldered the bag and forced herself to walk faster without running.

Link had probably started calling Ralph the minute he'd hung up with her. She drew in a deep breath to calm her nerves. She would find Link and he'd help her find Hilda and Ravio. They would find them and hopefully Midna would never know her sister had dragged Ravio back to the fair.

Walking up the short incline to the door, she paused and did a quick double check. Where was the bouncer who usually watched the door? Clutching her purse, a little tighter, she turned full circle on the spot. She still didn't see the Goron who usually manned the door. A shiver ran down her spine. Something was wrong.

Fear, cold and heavy, settled in the pit of her stomach. Had Midna gone back on her word? What if the reason she couldn't get a hold of Hilda was because Midna had caught her and was now here to punish Link? Straightening her spine and squaring her shoulders, she bravely stepped towards the door. If that was the case, she would be next. Maybe she could get the jump on Midna? She'd seen Link fight before, so maybe she could distract Midna long enough so he could get away. It was her turn to save him now.

* * *

Nabooru helped Krane ease himself into a chair. "Thank you, I still can't believe that little human got the jump on me."

She arched an eyebrow and shook her head. How the Goron could call Ralph's goons 'little' was a mystery to her. She was just glad they were all okay though. Krane looked like he'd taken the worst hit. He'd probably been rushed by all four when Ralph forced his way inside.

"Link will want you to take the rest of the night off." She crossed her arms and eyed the bruises marring the Goron's head and chest. She would offer him ice but the other three had all balked at the suggestion. Apparently, it was a badge of honor or some bullshit to get your ass handed to you.

She rolled her eyes. Men.

"Bah, I don't need to go home." Krane shrugged his massive shoulders and stretched out his arms. "This is nothing. A little nap and I'd be as right as rain."

Nabooru gave him an affectionate smile and shook her head again. Really, men. Link would probably have said the same thing.

"N-Nabooru?"

The timid voice nearly made her jump. Krane chuckled but quieted down quickly at Nabooru's glare. Spotting the blonde standing just inside the door, Nabooru groaned. This wasn't going to end well.

"Where's Midna?"

Zelda's question threw her off guard. She knew of Midna. The woman was the best smuggler this side of Hyrule. If there was something you wanted, Midna would deliver…so long as you didn't ask how she acquired your items. The only person she knew who rivaled Midna was a man who went by the moniker, Fierce Deity. Although based on the rumours she'd heard, no one had heard from him in years. What she'd like to know, however, was how Zelda knew about her. She didn't look the type to hang around shady smugglers.

Suddenly it clicked. Link had mentioned the Twilight Fair. Midna used the fair as a front to transport her customer's orders. Ravio must be tangled up in something with the smuggler and, once again, was relying on Link to get him out of a jam. How he'd roped in Zelda and her sister, Nabooru couldn't even begin to guess but perhaps Zelda would be a bit more forthcoming with her answers.

"She's here isn't she." Zelda inched around Nabooru and Krane. "That's why there was no bouncer at the door right? Where is she?"

Nabooru placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder before the girl could slip by them. "Someone's causing problems but it isn't Midna."

Zelda looked over her shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Ralph decided to show up with some muscle." She steered Zelda towards the coat check. "I already called the police and Darunia. The police are on their way but Darunia will probably beat them here. He was going to grab a few of the off-duty bouncers on his way too. Ralph will wish he'd never tried to intimate Link."

"Link is facing him alone?" Slipping out from under Nabooru's arm, Zelda headed towards the main floor. "How could you leave him?"

"He told me to go." Nabooru quickly placed herself between Zelda and the main bar floor. "He'll be find. He technically isn't alone. We do have several customers in there taking advantage of the dance floor before things get hectic."

She didn't look convinced and Nabooru was running out of ideas to keep her here, with them. Link would be furious if Zelda got caught up in whatever Ralph was planning. A determined look settled on Zelda's face and Nabooru sighed in defeat. Link's intentions were admirable. He just forgot one thing. Nabooru hid a smile when Zelda darted past her and disappeared into the crowded dance floor.

Zelda had a streak of 'hero' in her that could rival Link's.

* * *

Zelda uncaringly shoved past a pair that was doing more grinding than dancing. She barely noticed when the couple hissed profanities at her for interrupting them. All she cared about was finding Link. How could Nabooru just leave him to deal with Ralph and, and the goons he hired to-to…she didn't even want to think about it. She knew first hand how people liked to turn a blind eye when someone was in trouble. Link was one of the few people who'd seen Ralph harassing her and had stepped in to help. A part of her wished she'd known him back when she'd been with Ralph.

Maybe she would have gotten away from Ralph sooner had she known Link back then.

She shook her head to clear away her wishful thinking. Wishing to change her past was fruitless. What was done, was done. She had to keep looking forward and stop wishing she could have done things differently. She knew Link now and that was what mattered.

She could see the bar now and mentally prepared herself to see Ralph again. It briefly crossed her mind that maybe Ralph and Link were upstairs on the second floor but Nabooru had said Link sent her away. Nabooru only worked the bar on the main floor. So, it made sense she would head straight for the bar past the dance floor, right?

It didn't matter. If they weren't there, she would just go upstairs.

Pushing past the few bodies on the edge of the dance floor, Zelda ran headfirst into a broad back. Scrambling back, she noticed there were two more broad backs just like the one she'd ran into. A frown marred her features as she perched on her tip toes to try to look around the immovable barrier.

"Where's Zelda?"

Recognizing Ralph's voice, she took a step backwards before straightening her spine. No, she would not let him intimidate her. Link needed her help. Eyeing the solid mass in front of her, she tilted her head thoughtfully. She could only see their backs but, they seemed familiar.

Reaching forward, she tapped the shoulder of the man blocking her way. "Bremor?"

The giant man glanced over his shoulder, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Zellie?" His voice filled with excitement as he jostled his two brothers. "Guys! It's Zellie!"

Bremor's brothers twisted around and both broke into wide grins when they saw Zelda. "Zellie!" Instantly she was crushed in a big bear hug as the brothers took turns hugging her.

"Ralph told us this guy, Link, was hiding you from him." Doyle exchanged a confused glance with his brothers. "But, here you are."

"You idiots! What are you doing?" Pushing past Bremor and Brac, Ralph came face to face with Zelda. "Z-Zelda? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Yeah, Ralph." Doyle interjected. "What is she doing here? You said she was being held against her will."

"She doesn't look to be in any trouble, to me." Brac added.

"Yeah." Bremor agreed, his frown darkening as he turned to Ralph. "So, what's really going on here Ralph?"

"Yeah Ralph." Link said, throwing an arm over Ralph's shoulder. "I didn't realize I was holding Zelda captive? When did that happen?"

"Uhh…" Ralph ducked away from Link, only to be surrounded by three brothers that were growing angrier by the minute. "M-maybe I was mistaken?"

Link chuckled. "You think?" Seeing Zelda beside him, he slung his arm around her shoulders to nestle her against his side. "Or maybe I forgot to lock the door?"

Giggling Zelda, covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Of course, kind of hard to keep me locked away when you're always forgetting that vital step." She elbowed him gently in the side. "You totally fail at keeping me locked away."

"Guess so."

Doyle grinned and nodded to his brothers. "We should leave. I assume that Gerudo you sent away called the authorities?"

Link nodded. "I can explain what happened when they get here. Let them know you guys were tricked."

Bremor and Brac flanked Ralph who shuddered and curled in on himself. Doyle smiled smugly and the two brothers each grabbed Ralph by the arms. Turning to Link and Zelda, Doyle dipped his head in farewell. "We'll get out of your hair and thank you for explaining to the police, but, "He eyed Ralph again. "If you could delay them a bit before they come after Ralph, we'd appreciate it."

Zelda blinked and glanced at her quivering ex-boyfriend. "What are you going to do?"

Grinning, Doyle cracked his knuckles. "We'll make sure he thinks twice about telling lies."

"Maybe you should teach him to not mistreat women too." Link coughed into his hand.

"Mistreat women?" Brac glowered down at Ralph. "Did you mistreat Zelda?"

Ralph paled. "Uh…"

Bremor's grip tightened around Ralph's arm. "I knew there was something I really didn't like about you."

Doyle's mouth curled into a snarl. "We'll take care of." He glanced back at Link. "Keep the police away and we'll make sure this asshole doesn't bother Zelda again."

Zelda's eyes widened when Link nodded. She should say something. Her eyes shifted to Ralph and to her horror. She found there was nothing she wanted to say. She should stop them but…she didn't want to. Ralph would just keep coming at her if something wasn't done. She was a bit surprised to realize she agreed with Link's solution to her problem.

Ralph wasn't above lying. He would say anything and going to the police would take too long to solve her problem. She would have to convince them he was a danger to her. He was a master of manipulation. Just look at how he'd convinced her she was the only one he was seeing, or how he'd convinced her she deserved the way he treated her. It had taken her eight months to recognize his comments, his actions were abusive and still, she hadn't left him. It had taken finding him in bed with another woman for her to have the courage to walk away. He'd destroyed her. Made her question her own heart, her own judgement. She'd been a mess for two weeks while she came to terms with her own stupidity and Ralph's betrayal. Dragging it out with the police would bring up all those emotions, all those insecurities.

She looked up and found Link watching her. A lift to his eyebrow told her he was waiting to see if she objected. A warmth swept over her. If she said anything, she knew he would recant and tell the brothers to leave Ralph behind for the police. She smiled at him and knew what she had to do.

"Go, we'll tell the police you realized Ralph was lying and you left."


	12. Chapter 12

Their fingers painfully dug into his arms. Letting his body sag boneless in their hold, Ralph furiously thought of a way to get out of his predicament. Twisting around, he tried to catch a glimpse of Zelda and Link before they were completely lost in the growing crowd of the dance floor. He hadn't planned for the possibility of Zelda showing up. He could have sworn he'd seen Hilda's car parked outside her place. She should have been too busy with her sister to even bother with the Silver Rupee. Zelda had thrown a huge wrench in his plans.

He was ready to admit he'd seriously screwed up.

Letting out a huff, he wondered if he should have just taken Nayru's advice. Everything he'd tried to get Zelda back hadn't worked. Maybe he didn't know her as well as he thought. He wrinkled his nose and decided, no, that wasn't it. He knew her, he'd just forgotten her preferences. His first mistake had been trying to entice Zelda back with sex. His second had been when he'd confronted her about her talk with Nayru. When she'd shown up on his doorstep, he pretended he'd planned for Nayru to talk to her but that was the furthest from the truth. Nayru had approached Zelda all on her own. When Nayru came to him in tears, he'd been furious. He hated seeing her in tears and had made the mistake of hunting down Zelda. He'd only meant to find out why she'd verbally attacked Nayru. Unfortunately, he'd been a little crazy with his anger. Link showing up hadn't helped matters either.

He'd returned home to find Nayru beside herself with worry. He was just happy she was feeling better. He didn't know what he would have done had Zelda gotten to Nayru. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't feel incredibly lucky to have her by his side. He felt he could live without Zelda, but Nayru? He'd be lost if he ever lost her.

Thoughts of Nayru, however, weren't going to get him out of this. While he'd been lost in thought, the 3 brothers had carried him as far as the front door. The Goron and Gerudo woman were still in the front entrance. The Goron was seated on a chair and the bartender was standing at his side. He tried to come up with a plan to get them to help him but his mind kept coming up blank. He couldn't think of a single thing that would trick them into helping him. Twisting his mouth into a grim line, he doubted he could have come up with anything to convince them anyway. They were loyal to Link.

He rolled his eyes up to Bremor and Brac. His third mistake had been relying on the three brothers. He'd known they were actually Zelda's childhood friends, he'd just stupidly believed he could trick them into helping him. His lie would have worked too had Zelda not shown up. The brother's had been ready to tear Link apart when they'd thought he was holding her against her will. He really should have seen the huge flaw in his plan.

So, maybe he deserved to take his lumps. He smirked. Yes, he would take the beating. It had been a while since he'd enjoyed Nayru's nurturing touch and she loved nursing him back to health. He decided he would also ask Nayru for advice. His plans had gotten him nowhere closer to getting Zelda back.

It was time to change tactics.

* * *

Ravio brandished the pocket knife he always carried with him and sliced through the heavy canvas. Splitting the side of the tent, he held back a piece of the newly made door like the gentleman he liked to pretend he was (at least when he was around Hilda). As much as he would have preferred she stayed behind, he knew better than to suggest it. She would never have agreed to wait in safety while he took all the risks. It was something he both admired her for and worried over. He wasn't used to having a partner who took the same risks as him. Actually, he wasn't used to having a partner, period. The closest he'd ever come to a partner in the past, was the few times Link had gotten him out of a jam.

All around them, the fair was gearing up for the evening crowd. The lights were just starting to blaze as the sun slowly sunk into the horizon. The crowds served as the perfect distraction to mask their activities but it didn't help his nerves at all. Link was bound to catch up with them and when he did, Ravio knew his cousin would be pissed. They'd been warned to stay away. More like threatened really and yet, here they were. Sneaking back in. A niggling feeling at the back of his mind worried that they were tempting fate by returning.

When he'd seen Hilda's number flashing on his call display, he'd clicked the 'receive call' button without hesitation. Within seconds he'd realized her call wasn't a social one. She'd wanted to return to the Fair and she had every intention of doing so. With or without his help.

Obviously he wasn't about to let her go alone. Hopefully Link would understand.

"Ravio! You're falling behind!"

Biting back a curse, he quickened his pace to catch up with her. "We should just go home. Link is going to kill me if he realizes we went out."

"Oh please, you're a grown man. Why do you need to check in with him?"

He winced at the disdain he heard in her voice. He couldn't tell her Link was the only one in the family still talking to him and he didn't want to screw that up too. He wasn't ready for her to know the truth but she had a point though. He was a grown man…No! He shook his head to clear the wayward thoughts. It had been exactly that kind of thinking that had gotten him disowned by the rest of the family.

"Link's always looked out for me. That's all." And that had to be the lamest excuse he'd ever made.

"Your cousin has a serious hero complex." Hilda groused, looking back at him. "He's totally fixated on Zelda. Always hovering over her shoulder in case her ex shows up. How either of you can put up with his over-bearing attitude is beyond me!"

"It's not that bad." Ravio defended. "He doesn't go around looking for people to save."

Hilda snorted derisively. "The way he hangs around my sister would suggest otherwise."

"I think he just likes her." He wasn't sure how they'd gotten on this topic of conversation but he didn't like what Hilda was saying about Link's character.

Hilda rolled her eyes. "Everyone likes Zelda."

Ravio kept quiet. Zelda was a touchy subject with Hilda. He wasn't sure what had happened between the two sisters but there were plenty of times he'd noticed Hilda almost hated Zelda. Only a blind person would have missed it last night at dinner.

"Do you realize she has called me non-stop for the last half-hour?" Hilda held her phone up and waved it in the air. "Like seriously, she needs to stop worrying so much about me and work on getting her own life back on track." The soft tapping of Hilda typing out a message filled the silence for a few seconds. "Ugh how annoying, she's asking if we went back to the fair."

"What are you saying to her?"

Hilda sent him a mischievous smile. "Just telling her to stop worrying and to keep her nose out of my business."

"She's worried Hilda. Midna was very clear about keeping away from the fair."

"It's public property, she has no right to enforce bans." She sniffed back while finishing up her message to Zelda.

Ravio worriedly checked their surroundings. Hilda's voice was slowly growing louder the longer they talked. He knew correcting her would only make her raise her voice more but he needed to warn her. Midna wasn't an average Carnival manager. The woman was mired deep within the black market. She was the top pick for anyone looking to procure items that were…hard to come by. Rumor had it she'd taken out her leading competitor, Fierce Deity. No one had heard from the other smuggler in…well Ravio wouldn't really know. He did his best to stay away from the underbelly of the criminal world. Lately though, it was getting harder.

"Ravio!"

Crap, he'd fallen behind again. Jogging to catch up to her (again). He gave her an apologetic grin. "Sorry, was just thinking about something."

Hilda lifted an eyebrow. "Care to share?"

He hesitated. When he'd met her, he'd spun a story that he was a historian interested in the ancient relics mentioned in many of Hyrule's myths and legends. It had gotten her talking and his story had allowed him to ask questions about the Master Sword without raising her suspicions. He should be just as excited about the discovery of these Sol things as she was but…he was having trouble mustering the enthusiasm. Something he was worried she'd noticed.

"I, uh was just thinking of what finding these Sols will mean for the-the historic…society?" He mentally kicked himself. He sounded like was asking a question.

Hilda looked unconvinced and but she let it go. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or worried. This lie of his was getting out of hand but, until he found the sword…he couldn't tell her the truth. The truth about himself, his real relationship with his family…he couldn't risk her turning away from him. She was his only lead on the sword.

"Keep a look out for Midna."

Hilda's voice pulled his attention. He needed to get his head out of the clouds. These distractions were going to end up costing them if he wasn't careful. Leaving Hilda to her own devices, Ravio backtracked to keep watch.

* * *

"I've tried calling Hilda, I've tried spamming her phone with messages…and I haven't gotten any type of response from her."

Link watched Zelda grip the steering wheel. Her knuckles turned white and he was pretty sure, if he checked, the back of the steering wheel would have crescent marks in the leather from her nails.

"I'm sure they're ok. Ravio won't let anything happen to her." Link hoped the lie sounded better to her than it did to his own ears.

She shot him a grateful smile and took the next turn too fast. Thrown against the door, Link gripped the edge of his seat and bit his tongue to keep his comments on her driving to himself. She was worried. He knew that, so the least he could do was keep quiet but he feared they'd end up wrapped around a pole. They'd be no help to Ravio and Hilda if they got in an accident themselves.

"I feel terrible that Hilda got your cousin tangled up in her crazy theories." Zelda spared a glance in his direction and he nearly griped at her to keep her eyes on the road. "I sincerely hope she hasn't gotten him into trouble."

Link chuckled nervously. Right, like Hilda could ever be to blame if Ravio got himself into a mess he couldn't get himself out of. "Zelda…" She glanced at him and the words died in his throat. Should he betray Ravio? Right now she thought Hilda was the instigator in all of this but really, it was Ravio who was pulling the strings. He still had no idea what he needed a Sol for but there was little doubt in his mind that it was all Ravio.

"What is it?"

"Uh…" He shifted in his seat and stared out the windshield. "I just think they'll be ok." His shoulders sagged as he kept himself looking forward. He didn't owe a thing to Ravio and yet he couldn't betray his cousin.

She smiled at him, her expression a touch sad. "I hope you're right Link."

He shut his eyes. If his cousin had any involvement…the likeliness of them getting out of this unscathed was low.

* * *

It was too quiet. Feeling antsy, Ravio abandoned his post to search out Hilda. She'd been happy to see the Sols were exactly where they'd left them. He could only see their good fortune as suspicious. In his line of work, there was no such thing as a happy coincidence. Midna should have moved the Sols to a new location. So, why hadn't she?

"Hilda?" His whispered call went unheeded. His concern only grew as he silently walked between the rows of crates. They should have at least ran into tighter security. Midna was making this too easy and he was suddenly scared they'd walked right into a trap. "Hilda?"

A soft snuffling caught his attention and pulled him down an adjacent row of crates. "Hilda?"

He stopped at a dead end. Crates surrounded him. Their sides marked in a language he couldn't read. He was beginning to think Hilda wasn't here anymore but that made no sense. Why would she leave without him?

"Hilda!" He raised his voice, he had no choice. He needed to find her and then they'd get the hell out of here. He never should have gone along with her crazy idea. "Hilda!"

A soft whine reached his ears and something butted against the back of his legs. Startled, he turned around and nearly screamed. A wolf stood behind him and at first, he thought it was the one that was usually with Midna. At least until he noticed the coloring was wrong. This wolf's fur was a darker shade of grey with black markings. Sad red eyes, that seemed oddly familiar, stared up at him before gently nipping at his fingertips.

A chill ran down his spine. No, it couldn't be.

"H-Hilda?"

"You must have a strong connection with her if you can recognize her in that form." Midna said softly from deeper within the shadows.

He twisted on his heel. Hilda settled at his feet with her belly pressed to the ground and her ears flat against her head as she whimpered again. "Midna!?"

A soft chuckle floated towards him. "Such anger. Where was this spine when your girlfriend suggested the foolish idea of returning here?"

He couldn't see her. He turned again. "Where are you?"

Hilda tucked her tail around her body and hid her head under her paws. The action looked too Hylian to be natural. The action left no doubt in Ravio's mind. The wolf was Hilda. "What did you do to her?"

"What I will do to you, if you do not leave here now!"


	13. Chapter 13

The car skidded to a halt and Link let out the breath he'd been holding. Carefully, he opened his door and peeled himself out of his seat. He swore he'd just lost at least 7 years from his life after Zelda's crazy driving. If they didn't find Hilda and Ravio, he was going to insist he drive Zelda's car home. Thankfully, Zelda hadn't noticed her terrified passenger. The question now was how were they going to find Ravio and Hilda without Midna noticing they were back.

"Where do we even start looking?"

Zelda's question had him looking back at her. She was still sitting behind the wheel. She hadn't even unbuckled her seatbelt yet. She continued to sit there, dejectedly staring out the windshield until she finally shifted in her seat. "We don't even know if they came back here."

"I'd be surprised if they weren't here." He may not know Hilda very well but he knew his cousin. If Ravio thought he could make a big sale on those Sol thingies than he would have returned here at the first chance he got. "Hilda and Midna both made it sound like those Sols were rare. Ravio wouldn't be able to stay away if he thought that too."

Catching her bottom lip with her teeth, she idly drummed her hands against the steering wheel as she pondered his words. "Hilda is the same. Any hint there could be truth to Hyrule's myths would be too hard to resist. She's staked her entire career on proving the legends are part of Hyrule's history and not just myths."

"Then we need to find where Midna stores those Sols. Ravio and Hilda will most likely be there."

"Right." Although she'd agreed, she remained firmly seated behind the steering wheel.

He ducked down and poked his head back into the car. "Zelda?"

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. She'd heard him but she wouldn't look at him. Her lower lip wobbled and he felt something clench in his chest. Abandoning his side of the car, he came around and yanked the driver's door open. Dropping to his knees, he reached in to gently cup her face.

"Zelda, look at me." He guided her so she was looking at him. "What's wrong? I swear, we will find them."

Her eyes filled with tears and she started to blink rapidly to keep them from falling. "I'm so sorry, Link."

"For what?"

She tried to look away but his hand refused to let her do so. "My sister is always doing this. Running off to prove her crazy theories without a care for anyone else. I'm so sorry she dragged Ravio into this."

Link frowned. "Ravio made his choice to go along with Hilda. You are not responsible for what either of them do."

"You don't understand. She's done something like this before." Zelda closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. "A while ago, her obsession was with the Hero of Time myths. She was insistent our family was hiding the Master Sword. She tore apart our parents' home looking for the sword while they were away on holidays. They came home to the mess she'd left and her accusations that they must have moved the sword."

"The…Master Sword?" Link cringed, no wonder Ravio was convinced Hilda could lead him to the sword.

"Yes, the Master Sword." Her eyes opened and locked with his. "Dad made sure she paid for the repairs to their house. I'm still amazed they forgave her but I guess that's what parents do. I just know, if she was given the chance, she would do it again. She becomes so single minded when she thinks she can find proof the myths are true and now she's dragged Ravio into it."

"I don't think Ravio is completely blameless in this." Link admitted to her softly.

He couldn't, in his right mind, allow her to continue to think this way. Hilda wasn't to blame for Ravio's involvement. The more he heard, the more he began to believe the two of them were working together.

"But…"

"No, let me explain." His hand dropped away from holding her face. He had her attention now and she didn't look like she was going to turn away again. "Ravio came to Castle Town to look for the Master Sword. He has a buyer who is very interested in the artifact and he was hired to get it for this client."

Zelda tilted her head to the side. "The Master Sword? So, it was no coincidence he met Hilda, is it?"

Ravio was going to hate him, Link sadly thought but he was through lying for his cousin. "No, but he swears he really does care for your sister. Getting to know her changed things for him." He sucked in a worried sigh. Time for him to come clean. "Ravio wanted me to try and get more information about the sword from you. From Hilda, he'd learned you may know more about it."

"You…were helping him?"

Screwing up his courage, he nodded. At least Zelda didn't look angry…well at least not yet. He wasn't entirely confident she would remain cool-headed for much longer. "I think Ravio intended to steal the sword once he and Hilda found it."

"He was going to ask you to steal it, wasn't he?" Her eyes narrowed on him and he found it hard to swallow.

He hadn't expected her to figure that part out so quickly. He nodded again and prepared for the fall out.

"So, let me see if I have this right?" Zelda snarled indignantly. "He was going to get you to do the dirty work? He wanted you to steal the sword so he could save face with my sister?"

Yep, there was the anger he'd expected. "Um…yes?" He winced and quickly added. "But I hadn't agreed to steal anything. I was only going to help him find the stupid sword."

"Ravio is as bad as my sister."

Link disbelievingly blinked up at her. Did he hear that right? She was mad at…Ravio? Not him, but Ravio? "You're mad at Ravio?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, but now I don't know. Is there some reason why I should be mad at you too?"

His eyes widened. "N-no, there's no reason. Like I said. I only agreed to help him find it. I refused to help him with the stealing part."

She released her seatbelt and swung her legs out of the car. Link quickly shot to his feat and stepped back to give her room. "I swear those two deserve each other." Standing beside him, she gave Link a determined look. "Ok, we're going to go find those two idiots and then that's it. They're on their own after this. We are not going to bail them out anymore!"

Link gulped and quietly answered, "As you wish".

Yep, he was in love with her and now? He was pretty sure Aryll would like her too for getting him untangled from Ravio's crazy plans. He was starting to really hate this friend zone he'd been shoved into.

* * *

Zelda couldn't believe how blind they'd been. Here they were, busting their backs, worried sick about Hilda and Ravio…when they couldn't be bothered to care about her and Link. Maybe she didn't have the right to tell Link to abandon his cousin after this but he'd agreed with her readily enough.

Ravio had probably used Link's own nature against him. All it would have taken was a comment about her or anyone else getting hurt to get Link to go along with his crazy scheme. It made her blood boil to think of Ravio using Link like that. Link was a naturally kind person who could never stand by if he thought someone was in trouble.

It was one of the things she'd grown to love about him…Her eyes rounded in surprise. Love? No, she couldn't be falling in love with Link. They were friends. Friends! She snuck a glance at Link. Her face heated uncomfortably and she hoped he didn't notice her blush. They needed to find Ravio and Hilda. She gave her heart a mental scolding, she could not fall in love with Link! He didn't see her that way at all!

"I think we're going to have to sneak into the fair."

Link's comment threw her off guard. "What? Why?"

He gave her a wry look. "Well, the quickest way for Midna to realize we're back would be to buy tickets at the front gate. I'm sure the twili working there were told to not let us back in."

It made sense. "So, Hilda and Ravio must have snuck back in too?" She eyed the barrier surrounding the fair grounds. From what she could see, the twili had set up portable metal fences to mark the perimeter of the fair. It shouldn't take much to hop the fence. They would just need to find a spot where no one was watching.

"Liiiiiiiiiiiink!"

The name was drawn out and shouted in a panicked voice. A voice that both Link and Zelda recognized. She turned her back to the fair and squinted into the growing darkness. Ravio was running towards them like he was being chased by something. Actually, her eyes narrowed as she caught movement in the shadows behind him, she was pretty sure something was chasing him. Her stomach dropped, it was too low to the ground to be Hilda.

Ravio looked so relieved to see the two of them and even managed to throw his arms around Link before the latter pulled him away. "Goddesses, I'm so glad to see the two of you! We need to get out of here!"

Like her, Link was looking behind Ravio for Hilda. "Where is Hilda? Didn't you guys come together?"

"Hilda?" The color drained from his face and Ravio whirled around to look for her. Odd thing was, he was staring at his feet. "Hilda, where are you?"

Zelda exchanged a puzzled look with Link. "Ravio?"

"She was right here!" Ravio wailed, thrusting his arms dramatically towards the ground. "She was right behind me! We barely made our escape…though I think Midna let us go…"

"Ravio!" Link cuffed his cousin over the back of his head. "Focus here, where is Hilda? Did you leave her with Midna?"

"What?!" Ravio looked insulted. "Give me some credit. I wouldn't let her come here alone. What makes you think I'd leave her behind?"

Link quirked an eyebrow. "Really? You're gonna ask that when you're the only one standing here?"

"I didn't leave her behind!"

Zelda blinked when something licked her hand. Tuning out Link and Ravio for the minute, she glanced down to see who'd licked her. A wolf with red eyes sat behind her, its tail wagging and tongue rolling out of its mouth in a friendly smile.

Zelda screamed.

"What! What is it?" Link yanked her behind him and held his arms up in a loose fighting stance.

She cautiously peered around Link and pointed to the wolf at the same time Ravio let out a relieved, "there she is."

She rounded on Link's cousin. "What do you mean, there she is?"

Ravio rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh, that's…Hilda? Didn't I tell you she'd been turned into a wolf?"

Zelda's mouth fell open in disbelief. Beside her Link did a double take at the wolf and whistled low. "Uh Ravio, that's a wolf. How much have you had to drink tonight?"

Stomping his foot, Ravio clenched his fists. "I haven't been drinking, or doing drugs or-or anything else that you're trying to suggest! That is Hilda! Midna turned her into a wolf for coming back to the fair! She would have done the same to me if she hadn't allowed us the chance to run away!"

She drew in a deep breath and slowly counted to ten. Her eyes went back to the wolf. When it tried to move closer, she jumped away. No, there was absolutely no way that was her sister. Turning people into wolves was for fairy tales. Her sister had gone too far this time.

"This isn't funny Ravio." Zelda took another deep breath but nothing was helping to control the way she'd started to tremble. "Do you think I don't realize what Hilda is trying to do? That-that pretending to be a wolf would prove the Twilight myths are true? That's just sick! Now where is Hilda hiding!"

Ravio's mouth opened and closed in disbelief. His eyes darting helplessly to the wolf before returning to her. "Zelda, I swear. It's not a joke…"

"Forget it." Zelda slashed her arm in the air to cut him off. "I am so tired of Hilda's games. I am not playing them anymore. I came here to get the two of you out of the fair. I even dragged Link from work to help. We were both worried sick about you and neither of you could be bothered to answer your phones. Now I find you're going to try to pretend a woman, who happens to have the same name as the Twilight Princess in the legends, turned my sister into a wolf?"

Her laugh was bitter and she blinked rapidly to stop her angry tears. "It's sick. Were you hoping to bribe Midna? Tell her you wouldn't expose this ridiculous lie if she gave you a Sol? Or are you going to tell me now that Hilda needs me to pull out the Master Sword to 'break the spell' she's under?"

Ravio perked up at the mention of the sword. "Well, if you're offering…"

"Ravio!" Link hissed to shut him up.

She couldn't stop her tears after all. She wiped at her face with the palms of her hands. "Unbelievable. She really won't stop at anything will she? I've never had that blasted sword and that, "She pointed an accusing finger at the wolf. "Is not my sister. Since neither of you are actually in trouble. I'm going home. Tell Hilda to return the trained wolf and to find a hotel after all. I'm done."

"Zelda!"

She turned around at Link's call. He gave his cousin a dirty look and stepped towards her. "You're too upset to drive, let me take you home."

Nodding mutely, she dug her keys out of her purse and held them out to him.

"Wh-what about me?" Ravio glanced down at the wolf. "And-and Hilda."

Tucking her against his side, Link glared at his cousin. "You guys got here on your own, you can get home on your own too."

"But Link…" Ravio called pleadingly. "You can't just abandon me…"

"I'm not kicking you out Ravio." Link called over his shoulder. "I'll talk to you at home but I'm with Zelda on this one. I'm done."

"You promised to help me! My client still needs the Master Sword and now I think it's the only chance I have at fixing Hilda! If Zelda doesn't have it, we have to look somewhere else!"

Ravio's words had to of hit Link like a ton of bricks. He jerked to a stop, his entire body going tense. Zelda looked up at him worriedly. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so angry. He glared over his shoulder at Ravio. "Really Ravio? Your plan is to out me to Zelda now? What? Are you hoping she'll get angry and push me away?"

"Y-you've been deceiving her…" Ravio wildly looked between the two of them. "Hilda said it would drive the two of you apart if Zelda found out what you were—"

"I already knew Ravio." Zelda cut in softly, her hand unconsciously seeking out Link's and giving it a hard squeeze. "And I believe you may have just lost your last ally."

Link snorted and turned his back to his cousin. "You have no idea how true that statement is. Let's get out of here."

Smiling up at him, she blushed and ducked her head. "As you wish."


	14. Chapter 14

Wiping her forehead, Zelda threw her back into kneading the bread dough and tried not to think of her sister. Grabbing a handful of flour from the bowl at her elbow, she lifted the dough with one hand and sprinkled the flour lightly with the other. Dropping the dough with a thud, she punched her fists into the mass.

After dropping her off at home, Link had stuck around for an hour or so to wait for Hilda. He'd been very sweet to think of her when he had his own familial issues to deal with. Her face heated as she remembered how he'd glanced through her movie collection to pass the time. He'd pulled out her copy of the Princess Bride and had exclaimed he hadn't seen the movie in years. Apparently, it was a favorite of his and Aryll's. He'd turned to her with a large grin and said they would have to have a movie night soon so they could watch it together.

She flipped the dough and grabbed more flour. As eager as she was to make amends with Aryll, she silently hoped Link had meant just the two of them and not the three of them. Letting out an exasperated huff she transferred her dough to her large mixing bowl and lightly covered it with a towel to let it rise. She really needed to stop thinking like this. She was friends with Link. He'd given her no indication he felt anything more than that for her. Rubbing her hands on her apron, she frowned. She hadn't exactly given him any hint she'd like more than friendship either.

She sighed and went to the cupboard to get her bread pans. So, the question was, did she dare go out on a limb and give him the hint?

"Zelda?" A red-head poked her head into the kitchen and grinned at seeing Zelda covered from head to toe in flour. "Goodness! Did a tornado go through here?"

Arms above her head, she glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, hey Anju. Is there something you need?"

Anju pushed the kitchen door wider and stepped further into the kitchen. The same age as Zelda but a few inches shorter. The two had opened the Stock Pott Inn Bed and Breakfast almost five years ago. Anju's husband, Kafei took care of the grounds and any general maintenance needed around the Inn. Zelda and Anju shared the management and housekeeping duties but Zelda found herself, more often than not, in the kitchen doing the lion's share of the cooking. An arrangement she secretly hoped would never change.

"I dunno Zel, I think I should be asking you that." She eyed her friend dubiously. "What are you doing?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "I'm getting my bread pans. What else would I be looking in this cupboard for?"

Letting the kitchen door swing shut, Anju tilted her head and leaned against the island that sat in the center of Zelda's work space. "Is everything ok?"

Finding the pans, she pulled the stack down. Turning to her friend, she gave Anju an innocent look. "Why wouldn't everything be ok?"

"Well, you've been back for all of 3 hours and you haven't mentioned Hilda once." Anju studied her friend with concerned blue eyes. "Not to mention, Hilda would have normally stolen you away by now."

Keeping her back to Anju, Zelda began lining the pans on the counter across from the island. "I haven't seen Hilda since yesterday."

"Did you have a fight?"

Zelda felt her shoulders tense. Now, wasn't that just the understatement of the year? Fight didn't even begin to cover what had happened. There had been no fight. Hilda hadn't bothered to come home, so how could there have been one? At the very least, she'd expected Hilda to stop in (or send Ravio in) for her research notes and luggage. Link had waited two hours before they'd both decided Hilda wasn't coming.

Wherever she was staying, she wasn't bothering with her things. She hoped Hilda would stop by today to pick up her stuff. She'd left a note on her door telling her sister to come by the inn and had honestly expected to see her by now.

She started to split up her dough between the bread pans. Maybe she'd give Link a call after she set these to baking. Surely Ravio would have an idea of where Hilda was staying. Yes, that's what she would do. Call Link who could relay a message to Ravio to let Hilda know she still had things at her place.

"Zelda?"

The hand Anju placed on her shoulder made her jump. She'd forgotten Anju was still waiting for an answer.

"Uh, kind of?" She chuckled nervously and gave her friend a melancholy smile. "Hilda is doing what she always does and I told her I was tired of her doing whatever she wants without a care for the consequences."

"You did? Oh, Zelda that's wonderful!" Smiling, Anju went over to the coffee machine and poured herself a cup of coffee. "You always said you wanted to tell Hilda how you really felt about her behaviour."

Finished with splitting her dough, she began transferring the pans to the oven. Anju was right. She'd been wanting to tell Hilda for years that she was tired of the way her sister walked all over people. Although, she never imagined feeling so guilty when she used to picture telling her sister off. Maybe it was because she'd naively believed her sister wouldn't stop talking to her?

* * *

Link stared disbelievingly at his cousin. "What is that doing in here?"

Ravio backed up a step. The wolf from the fair curled around Ravio's feet, its ears lying flat against its head. They were currently standing in Link's spare room where Ravio had decided was a good place to hide a wolf.

"I couldn't just leave Hilda there all alone." Dropping to his knees, Ravio hugged the wolf against him and gave Link a pleading look. "You can't expect me to turn my back on her."

"You're still sticking with that story?" Shaking his head, Link sighed. "I can't let you keep a wolf in here Ravio. It's gotta be breaking some sort of bylaw to have it in the house."

"Hilda is not an 'it'!" Jumping to his feet, Ravio crossed the small room. "How can you look at her and not realize she isn't a real wolf. It was Midna's magic!"

"You're crazy."

Against his will, Link found himself glancing back at the wolf Ravio kept insisting was Hilda. He wouldn't let his cousin suck him into his delusional fantasies but, he had to admit there was something strange about the wolf. He'd never known one to act like a dog before. The way it followed Ravio around was strange. The way it would cower in a corner (like it was now) was even stranger. The wolf's behaviour was certainly not 'wolf-like'.

"We have to return to the fair. Figure out how to break the spell."

Ravio's ranting pulled Link's attention and he stared disbelievingly at his cousin. "You cannot be serious?! Midna will have you arrested if you go back there!"

"Hilda will forever be stuck as a wolf if I don't go back there!"

The wolf suddenly leapt between the two and butted its head against Ravio. Ravio instantly dropped to his knees and Link was left giving the pair a bewildered look. Rubbing the wolf between the ears, Ravio tilted his head and kept his gaze level with the wolf. If Link didn't know better, he would think the two were conversing.

"What is it Hilda?"

Link rolled his eyes at the sincere way Ravio was speaking to the wolf. If he insisted on carrying on with this charade, maybe he should look at getting his cousin some help. Grabbing his phone from his back pocket, he started to type out a message to Zelda. There was only one way to prove to him the wolf wasn't Hilda. Hopefully, Link thought as he sent the text, Zelda had heard from her sister this morning.

* * *

Zelda made a mad dash to her phone when it lit up, signalling she had a text. Snatching up the small device, she couldn't punch in her unlock code fast enough. Tapping the screen to her messages, her shoulders dropped when she saw Link's name. Selecting his name, she scanned the message. As she read through his message, her eyebrows rose higher with each word until finally she abandoned reading the message and called him instead.

He answered before the phone had a chance to finish ringing.

"Please tell me you've heard from Hilda."

She worriedly bit her bottom lip. "I haven't. I was actually hoping Ravio had heard from her…"

"No, he's still insisting the wolf is Hilda."

"So you said." Zelda replied, referencing the text she'd just read. "What are you going to do?"

"At this rate? I'm not sure." Link's voice faded as if he was switching the phone to his other ear. "I've never seen Ravio act like this before. He's had his fair share of crazy ideas but insisting the wolf is Hilda is a little out there. Even for him."

A loud beep startled her and made her nearly drop the phone.

"Zelda? What was that?"

Turning on the spot, she glanced to the clock and realized her alarm had gone off to signal the bread was done. "Sorry, it was just my bread. Hang on a second while I get the loaves out of the oven."

Setting the phone down on the counter, she slipped on her oven mitts in order to safely transfer the hot loaves from the oven to the cooling racks she'd set up earlier. Her movements were instinctive and robotic, her mind a million miles away as she performed the menial task of setting her bread out to cool.

Where was Hilda and why was she allowing Ravio to continue with this charade of hers? When she'd left last night with Link, she never dreamed Hilda would take this so far. Pulling off her oven mitts, she mulled over the situation. Ravio was genuinely worried about Hilda but kept insisting the wolf was her. Hilda wasn't answering her phone and for all intents and purposes, couldn't be found. Did that mean the wolf was Hilda though? Her nose wrinkled, just thinking it sounded ridiculous, but still…

Picking her phone up, she stared at the glowing screen. She had no clue as to what to do. She knew Hilda wasn't above using people to get what she wanted. She'd seen it first hand when she'd gone to see her parents after Hilda had torn through their house. She just had a hard time imagining her sister allowing this to go much further. Maybe if she turned her sister's attention away from the Sols? Maybe then she would let this ridiculous plan of pretending to be a wolf go?

"Link?" She listened for his hum of acknowledgement on the other line. "Where would one get a trained wolf from?"

"Ummm." Link's voice drifted to silence as he turned he thought of an answer. "I…would have to look that one up."

Zelda nodded to herself. She would have to search the answer to that question as well but while they were looking, did they dare play along with Hilda's little game?

"If we humor them, what does Ravio want to do about this wolf he's insisting is Hilda?"

"He wants to return to the fair." There was a soft click in the background. She assumed Link must have closed a door so Ravio couldn't hear him. "Why, what are you thinking of doing?"

"Hilda is hiding and using this wolf as a way of getting what she wants." Thinking out loud, she leaned back against the counter and idly played with a loose thread on one of her oven mitts. "So, why not play along. We might be able to get her to reveal herself."

"It's not a bad idea…"

Zelda's mouth curled into a smile. "I'm hearing a 'but'…"

His warm chuckle curled her toes and made it hard for her to concentrate on what he said next. "You're beginning to know me a little too well."

"So there isn't a 'but'?"

"No, there is." He paused and she wondered if he was checking to make sure Ravio wasn't listening at the door. "I don't like the idea of going back to the fair."

"No, I don't either." Tapping a finger against the counter, she frowned. What could they do that might detract them from returning to Midna. There had to be something out there that Hilda wanted more than the Sols. She grinned when it suddenly occurred to her. "The Master Sword."

"Huh?"

She switched the phone to her other ear. "We'll focus on the Master Sword instead. It's supposed to be able to cut through any evil magic, right?"

Catching on, Link laughed. "The sword would be able to break the spell Ravio insists Hilda is under."

"Exactly." The Master Sword would also keep Ravio from running right back to Midna. He had as much of an interest in it as Hilda. They would need to be careful though.

She tucked the oven mitts away. "Bring Ravio and the wolf here. I brought Hilda's stuff to the Inn today. If she's going to insist on pretending she's a wolf, she won't mind if we go through her things to see where she was with her search."

* * *

Link disconnected the call with a satisfied grin. Leave it to Zelda to come up with a plan and it was a good one…Except he was a little worried about playing right into Ravio's hands. Thank the Goddesses he'd told her the truth about Ravio looking for the sword. It was probably the only thing that would detract him from going to the fair in search of a 'cure' for Hila. Tucking his phone back into his pocket, he left his bedroom in search of his cousin.

Maybe he shouldn't have left Ravio alone, but he hadn't wanted his cousin to over-hear them.

"Ravio?" He poked his head into the room where he'd left Ravio and the wolf. He wasn't entirely surprised to see they weren't there anymore but his place wasn't exactly big either. There weren't all that many places they could be.

Leaving the bedrooms, he checked the kitchen and living room next. In the kitchen, he found the note Ravio had left on his table.

 _I know you don't believe me about Hilda. So I'll figure out how to change her back on my own. I am going to Zelda's to look for Hilda's research notes. There might be something there that may help._

 _-Ravio_

Staring at the neatly written words, Link could have happily punched his fist through a wall. He should never have left his cousin alone. Crumpling up the note, he grabbed his jacket and dashed out the door.

Hopefully he could catch Ravio before he did something stupid…like breaking into Zelda's home in the middle of the day.

* * *

 **A:N/ Thanks everyone who reviewed, favorited and liked this story. Just to mention it again, I plan to update this every weekend. My schedule is too full to try to update more than that. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to read your reviews!**


	15. Chapter 15

Link was forced to a sudden stop when he spotted Aryll standing beside his car. With her fisted hands resting on her hips, it didn't take a genius to see she was pissed. Taking a quick look around, he ducked behind the shrubs lining the edge of his driveway and hoped his sister hadn't seen him. Grabbing his phone, he quickly typed out a quick message to Nabooru.

 _What the hell Nabooru, did you rat me out to Aryll?_

Switching his phone to silent so the sound didn't give him away, he stared anxiously at the device while waiting for a reply. Thankfully, Nabooru didn't leave him waiting long.

 _Ur helping Ravio. How could I not tell Aryll_

He growled low in his throat as he read her reply before stuffing his phone back into his pocket. She'd confirmed what he'd already suspected. His sister was on a warpath, looking for him. Question now was, could he get away without her noticing?

He peeked over the line of bushes. Her back was still to him, so that was a good sign. He could probably sneak away but he really needed his car. The Stock Pot Inn wasn't exactly in the neighborhood and would take him over an hour to get to if he walked.

Time to call in the cavalry.

Inching away from the bushes, he kept himself low to the ground and he made his way to the side of the house. Hopefully he would be far enough away to talk comfortably without Aryll overhearing him. Pulling out his phone again, he tapped in a completely different number.

"Lon-Lon's Italian Cuisine, Malon speaking."

The corner of his mouth kicked up into a grin when he heard Malon's bubbly voice. "Hey Malon, I was wondering if you could give me a hand with something?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line and static as if Malon had switched the phone to her other hand. "Well now, this wouldn't have something to do with a certain cousin being in town, would it?"

He cursed Nabooru for her big mouth. "Is there anyone Nabooru didn't tell?"

"Well it's not entirely Nabs' fault. Aryll was here with me when she got the news."

Link rolled his head back on his shoulders and watched as the clouds floated lazily overhead. "Then you know what I'm going to ask, don't you?"

"You want me to distract Aryll." Malon answered. "And why should I do that, exactly? Anything Ravio is planning has always blown up in his face. Would it be so bad if he for once had to get himself out of his own mess?"

"He's involved Zelda and her sister this time." He checked his watch and wondered how much time had gone by. "I need to get to Zelda's before Ravio breaks into her place."

"Zelda?"

Link cringed at the way Malon's voice perked up at the mention of the other woman's name. "Yes Malon, Zelda."

"Alright Link, but…"

Link waited with baited breath. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like her condition for helping him.

"You have to let us set you up on a date with Zelda."

Link slowly blinked as he let Malon's excited words wash over him. Honestly, he'd been expecting worse. A date with Zelda? He rolled the idea over in his mind just to let Malon fret over whether he'd except her demand. He suspected the 'us' was Malon, Lulu and Ruto. The Zora sisters were notorious for playing match maker and he wouldn't be at all surprised if they'd sucked Malon into their schemes as well.

"Alright." Link's response was met with silence.

After a few seconds, he pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure they hadn't been disconnected. "Malon? You there?"

She stuttered unintelligibly on the other line. "What? Yes, yes of course I'm still here…"

He hid a smile and rolled his eyes, completely forgetting she couldn't see him. "So, are you coming over here or not?"

"Wh-what?" Malon's voice came through the line crisper, as if she'd pressed the receiver closer to her mouth after accidently pulling the phone away. "Huh? Wh-what? Oh, of course! Give me 10 minutes to hunt down my dad to let him know I'm leaving. We're slow anyway and they really don't need me here."

"Perfect. Just, don't let her know I sent you. I need her away from the house so I can get to my car."

* * *

Zelda glanced over her shoulder to make sure Anju wasn't around before quietly slipping into the empty room. She'd checked their booking calendar before moving Hilda's things to a vacant room. According to the books, this room would be empty for at least another week. Until then, she figured she could use the room to go through Hilda's books without interruption.

Entering the room, she set her phone down and took in the quaint furnishings she and Anju had painstakingly picked out all those years ago. A double bed, complete with patchwork quilt and fluffy, frilly pillows sat in the center of the room. Flanked on either side by antique end tables, the only other pieces of furniture were the large dresser opposite of the window and the plush reading chair beside a narrow door leading to the bathroom. Her sister's belongings were on the chair between the bathroom door and dresser. A small stack of notebooks, a suitcase and a small box of loose papers were the only things Hilda had brought with her.

She picked up the first notebook and paused before opening it. A part of her felt terrible for going through Hilda's things. Hilda certainly wouldn't be having any such problems with her own conscience. She would go to any length to prove her theories. She had indisputable proof of just that from Midna catching Hilda's attempted thievery. She lightly ran her hand over the notebook's well-worn cover. She'd never believed she'd ever be in this situation. Betraying Hilda's trust was a step she shouldn't have to take but…She turned to her silent phone.

Hilda hadn't returned any of her calls. All her texts had gone unanswered. Their parents hadn't heard a peep from Hilda either and she was starting to worry. It wasn't like Hilda to completely break all contact with their family. Maybe Hilda was avoiding her after their last fight but her silence made no sense where their parents were concerned.

Hilda wasn't mad at their parents. Even after she'd paid for the repairs to their childhood home she hadn't held a grudge. Zelda figured it was because Hilda could see she'd gone too far. Thankfully, Zelda's call to their mother hadn't alerted her mother that something was up with Hilda.

Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and slowly cracked open the notebook. She wanted to have an idea of where to start looking by the time Link got here. Staring at the stack of notebooks and debating her morals wasn't going to get her any closer to figuring out what was going on with Hilda. Maybe she'd luck out and find one that would explain where her sister went.

* * *

Link shifted effortlessly into third gear and hammered his foot down on the gas. He'd wasted precious time waiting for Malon to lure his sister away. He only hoped Ravio hadn't had time to break into Zelda's home yet. Ravio would have had to keep to alleys if that wolf was still with him and Link suspected that would be the case. The wolf wasn't in Ravio's room so either Ravio had taken the wolf with him or he'd realized keeping a wolf as a pet was stupid.

Link was betting on the former. Ravio would have taken the wolf with him.

Shifting to fourth, he checked his review mirror. No sign of police, so that was good. He glanced down at the speedometer and winced. If Ravio didn't get the police's attention, he just might with how he was ripping through the streets. Pity he couldn't afford to slow down, he would just have to hope his luck would hold out. Trying to explain to a cop that he was speeding to prevent a potential breaking and enter wouldn't exactly help his situation…

His phone went off where he'd thrown it on the passenger seat. He spared a quick glance but didn't dare to pick it up. Instead he spoke out loud to activate the voice command.

"Navi, read new text." He glanced at his phone, waiting for the voice prompt to activate.

"You have a new message from Malon." His phone's voice command began to narrate the text." Aryll found out you sent me to distract her. She's hunting for you now. " There was a pause before Navi asked. "Would you like to reply?"

"Yes." He drew his mouth into a thin line. Aryll was going to end up complicating things.

"What do you want to say to Malon?" Navi's voice chirped from his phone.

"Thanks for the heads up Malon. I'll take care of it from here." He waited for Navi to input his message.

"Are you ready to send?"

He cast a brief glance at the phone but couldn't read the screen from where he sat. "Yes."

"I'll send it."

Turning his attention back to the road, he willed his car to move faster. Did Aryll know where Zelda lived? Goddesses he hoped not. His sister wasn't an idiot and would figure out fairly quickly where he'd gone. At least he was close to Zelda's now.

* * *

Zelda closed the notebook with a snap. She'd learned nothing from the book. Well, actually, that wasn't entirely true. Her sister's notes were meticulous and easy to follow. She just had no interest in her sister's theories about where the Royal Family's estate was located. She selected another notebook from the pile but now she hesitated for an entirely different reason. She felt like she was wasting her time. If all these notebooks held nothing but research and theories, they were no help to her. She needed a clue. An idea of where Hilda had planned to look for the sword next. Maybe she was going about this all wrong?

She sank down onto the bed and studied the book in her hand. Hilda was always going on and on about their family. She insisted they were descended from royalty. Something her parents never exactly denied but they'd never confirmed either. What if there was some truth to Hilda's claim? All her research into the Royal Family's estate would make sense then. If you believed the sword was nothing more than a ceremonial piece. A sword of ceremony used for Knighting ceremonies and the like. She tapped the book against her closed hand and vacantly stared out the window she'd opened earlier.

The blue and green curtains moved with the slight breeze and brushed against the box of papers on dresser. Setting the book down, she went to the dresser and grabbed the first page. Skimming the page, she wasn't surprised to see it was more notes. The papers looked older than the notebooks and the writing was different. Frowning, her eyes narrowed on the unfamiliar handwriting. Were these papers even Hilda's? She turned the page over but only found more of the same writing. Setting the page down on the dresser, she rifled through the rest of the box.

Pages upon pages of writing. All of it in the small script that set them apart from her sister's notes. Where'd Hilda get these? Picking a page at random, she scanned through the neatly printed block letters. She frowned as she finished the page. Although it was the same subject matter that filled Hilda's notebooks, the writing focused more on the myths surrounding Hyrule. It explained why Hilda had them. They supported her theories but didn't explain how she'd come by them. Were they Ravio's?

Returning the pages she'd removed from the box, she glanced to the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand by the bed. She'd been locked in this little room for almost an hour. Link would be here soon. She could ask Ravio then if these pages were his.

* * *

There was no sign of his cousin and Link was beginning to worry. He carefully circled around the house again, just to be sure. All the doors were shut tight, the windows too. If Ravio wasn't here then, where was he? He shoved his hands in his pockets and studied the silent house. Playing idly with the piece of tape in his pocket, he circled around to the front of the house. He'd found the tape on Zelda's front door. There hadn't been anything attached and he wondered if maybe Ravio had taken whatever she'd left on her front door. Maybe a note? Really, there was no way he could know unless he called her.

Giving up on trying to solve the question of the mysterious tape, he punched in Zelda's number.

"Link?" She must have been sitting on her phone to answer it so quickly. "Where are you?"

He glanced up at the house. "I'm standing in front of your place—"

"Did I forget to tell you I'm at the Inn today? I'm sorry, I thought I'd said—"

Link quickly cut in. "No, you did. I came here because Ravio slipped out before I had a chance to tell him we were going to look through Hilda's notes. I figured he would come here…"

"Well I suppose that makes sense."

He turned his back to the house, his hand still curled around the piece of tape in his pocket. "Ya, well that and he left me a note saying he was coming here."

"Is he not there?"

"Nope, everything is still shut up tight here." He pulled the piece of tape out of his pocket. "But I found this piece of tape hanging off your front door…"

"Was the note on my front door gone?"

"Note?" He looked over his shoulder and eyed the ground around the door. Nope, there was no note. "If there was one, it's gone."

"Maybe Ravio took it? I left a note for Hilda telling her I'd brought her things to the Inn. He's probably on his way now."

Well that was a relief. "Then I'll head over there now. Maybe I'll cross paths with him."

* * *

Zelda ended the call. Pulling a key from her pocket, she slowly locked the door before returning the key to her pocket. If Link was coming from her place, he'd be here in roughly twenty minutes. Would Ravio get here before him?

"Zelda?" Kafei rounded the corner. Spotting her, the purple-haired man skidded to stop. "There you are! Anju was beginning to think you'd gone home for the day."

Zelda flushed uncomfortably, her hand unconsciously going to the key in her pocket. No, she hadn't gone home, she'd just been hiding from her friend for the last hour. "S-sorry Kafei. I didn't mean to make either of you worry."

Kafei frowned, his eyes ranking over her and briefly, she wondered what he saw. Did she appear as lost and confused as she felt? Maybe she should have taken a quick glance in the mirror before leaving the room she was using to store her sister's things.

Smoothing her hands down her pants, she offered Kafei a hesitant smile. "Do I have something on my face?"

Slowly, Kafei shook his head. "No, you just look like you're up to something."

She laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. "Really? What an odd thing to say?"

Her words did nothing to lift his frown. If anything, he stared at her harder. "Is everything ok?"

She drew in a quick breath. Now wasn't that just a loaded question. Anju must have told him about Hilda. "Of course everything is alright."

"So, your disappearing act had nothing to do with the Hilda?" Kafei's eyes narrowed. "Or Ralph?"

Goddesses, why did everything have to circle back around to her ex? Maybe people would stop worrying about her if she started dating again? Instantly, Link popped to mind but she quickly shoved THAT thought away. Sure her feelings were slowly turning in that direction but she still had no idea if he felt the same way and no time (at the moment) to try to figure it out.

"I doubt Ralph will be bothering me again anytime soon."

If Kafei noticed she'd completely ignored his first question, he wasn't saying anything.

"Oh? Did Link finally lay him flat?" Kafei asked with a smirk.

Zelda blinked and angled her head. "Link?" She couldn't remember ever saying anything about Link to Kafei. "Do you know him too?"

A purple eyebrow shot up. "I'm sorry but did you forget Ruto is also good friends with my wife?"

She shook her head. "Ah, of course. To answer your question, no. Doyle, Brac and Bremor took care of him. He brought them to Link's club thinking he could use them to intimidate Link."

Looking amused, Kafei chuckled. "They followed Ralph? Did Ralph forget they were your childhood friends?"

She grinned ruefully. "He also forgot Link didn't really have me tied up and locked away somewhere. His plans hit a snag when I showed up."

"Ah, I think I get the picture now." Kafei hummed as the two of them started walking down the hall. "Maybe now he'll leave you alone."

"Maybe…" She broke off when her phone started ringing. Checking the call display, she accepted the call. "Link? Is everything ok?" She checked her watch, not even ten minutes had gone by. Why was he calling?

"The fair is gone."

She frowned, the fair? What did the fair have to do with anything?

"Is Ravio there?"

Her eyes shifted to Kafei but he'd politely stepped away to give her privacy. "No, he's not. I thought you said you might cross paths with him. I took that to mean he was coming on foot?"

"Ya, I thought the same but I just remembered I didn't see his car parked out front at my place. He could have hidden that wolf in the back seat and taken his car. He should be there by now."

The wolf? Why was he still dragging that wolf around with him? Maybe she should research trained wolves next. This was getting too weird.

"Zelda?"

She blinked and pulled her focus back to their conversation. "I'm here, sorry. No, I haven't seen Ravio or," She spared a quick glance at Kafei, "his…uh pet." Could one really call a wolf a pet?

Link swore. "I was worried that would be the case. Did you find anything in Hilda's research?"

"No, just that she was trying to pin down where the Royal family had their estate. Why, Link? What's going on?"

"I'm not sure but I don't like that the fair just pulled up and left town." Link swore again. "Hang on, I'm pulling over. I'm going to get in an accident if I continue trying to drive."

Zelda waved to Kafei to signal he should go on without her. As he walked away, she turned her back to him and rushed back down the hall. Digging out the key, she slammed it into the lock. "What do you think happened?"

"I think Ravio took a detour and went after Midna. He's insistent that wolf is Hilda."

Throwing the door open, her eyes went straight to where she'd left Hilda's things.

"Link."

"Ya?"

"Ravio was here." She walked slowly to the reading chair. The chair that used to have Hilda's research. Her eyes tracked over to the dresser, the box was gone too.

"But you said…"

She sat down heavily on the bed, her eyes swinging to the window. She'd opened it earlier to let in some fresh air but she'd only opened half way. The window was now thrown wide open. Hilda research, her notebooks and the box of papers were gone.

"I think Ravio waited until I left the room and stole Hilda's research."


	16. Chapter 16

Throwing the car into park, Link killed the engine and glanced out the windshield at the Inn. He'd only been here a handful of times. Zelda always had an air of pride about her when she spoke of the Inn she'd opened with her friends Anju and Kafei. The Inn itself was best described as 'country'. It was certainly not his personal taste but it fit Zelda. He could easily picture her in the large kitchen, surrounded by pots and pans, baking up a storm; or among the antique furniture of the common room. Curled up with a book, an afghan thrown over her legs as she snuggled down into one of the soft armchairs in front of the fireplace.

Shaking his head to clear the image, he grabbed his phone from the front seat and stepped out of the car. He checked his messages while crossing the parking lot. Nothing from Aryll, so that was good. Still no answer from Ravio, though. Sighing, he pocketed his phone. What was Ravio thinking? It bothered him that the fair was gone too. He had no idea how the two were connected but he didn't believe it was a coincidence that both the fair and Ravio had disappeared in one day. Hopefully Zelda had gotten a chance to look at Hilda's notes before they'd been taken.

Anju glanced up from her place behind the front desk when Link walked in. "Welcome to Stock Pott –Link! Zelda didn't mention you were stopping by today!"

Grinning, he rubbed the back of his neck. "It was kind of short notice. Is she around?"

"She's in the kitchen." Anju smiled warmly. "Just follow the smell of baking cookies."

He raised an eyebrow. "Cookies?" Why was she baking now, of all things? He'd expected this to be a quick stop now that Ravio had taken Hilda's notes. Unless, he's brow furrowed in thought, she was upset. She'd once commented to him she liked to bake when she was upset. Said it helped her to calm down and work through problems, or something. "Is she alright?"

Anju's warm smile faded. "I'm not sure. She told me she's at odds with Hilda and I'm pretty sure it's bothering her. She's already baked enough bread to last us all week. She disappeared for a bit until Kafei found her on the third floor. Since then, she's closed herself off in the kitchen."

So, after she'd gotten his call and found out Ravio had taken Hilda's notes. "Can I go back there?"

Anju nodded. "Go ahead. I think she's expecting you anyway."

Link nodded absently but offered no further explanation. At least she wasn't blaming him for Zelda's sudden need to bury herself among her pots and pans.

* * *

Taking out another pan, Zelda transferred the hot cookie sheet to the cooling racks she'd set out on the kitchen island before sliding another cookie sheet into the waiting oven. After resetting her timer, she grabbed her spatula and started to remove the cooling cookies off the pan. Her movements were instinctive and honed from years of practice. She could do this in her sleep and, with the way her mind was turning, she kind of was. She was moving on autopilot while trying to devise their next move.

She glanced up and nearly growled at the interruption when someone walked into her kitchen. Seeing Link, she swallowed her anger and turned back to her cookie sheets. The hand holding the spatula trembled. Tightening her lips, she clutched her hand tighter around the handle. She could feel the tears welling up and she hated herself for it. She would not cry. She refused. She was angry! How stupid was it that she was so angry, she wanted to cry? Normal people did not cry when they were angry. How many times had she heard Ralph sneer those exact words at her? The hand holding the spatula went from trembling to shaking.

She was useless. She'd had one job. Go through Hilda's notes, figure out their next steps and what did she do? She lost the stupid notes. How were they supposed to find the stupid sword now? She should have closed the window. Why'd she leave the window open? What if it hadn't been Ravio that took those notes? Link had said the fair was gone. Maybe it was Midna? She shouldn't have left the fair. Not without Hilda. What kind of sister leaves her family behind? She'd foolishly allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment…

A strong hand closed over top of hers and pulled the spatula free from her grasp while another gently guided her other arm to put down the cookie sheet. She blinked uncertainly and twisted around.

Link enfolded her in his arms. "We'll figure this out Zelda. Don't beat yourself up over it."

Her breath caught. It'd slipped her mind he was even there. How long had he stood there and silently watched as she slowly sunk deeper into the downward spiral of her guilt? She blushed in embarrassment. She was usually careful to keep her doubts hidden.

Her timer went off and the two of them jumped a part. Chuckling nervously, Link grabbed her discarded oven mitts and moved to the oven. "How many more pans do you have left to bake?"

Blinking at him, it took a her a minute to get her mind back to the task at hand. Looking at the pan in his hands, she turned to the one he'd gotten her to set down earlier. The pan was still half full of baked cookies. The one he held was her last pan.

"That was the last cookie sheet. We'll transfer the cookies to cool and we can go." She hesitantly picked up her spatula and was pleased when her hand didn't shake. "I'll let Anju know to pack them away once they've finished cooling."

* * *

This was completely new and almost unheard of for Ravio but, he had more than just himself to think of. Hilda bumping her head against the backs of his knees was a clear reminder. His cousin had always been his fallback. His foolproof plan for getting himself out of trouble. Link was relentlessly teased by his friends for his hero complex but he'd earned it honestly. There wasn't much Link couldn't handle. His cousin was incredibly skilled in hand to hand combat and had an uncanny ability with a bow. Was it any surprise that Link was his go-to person when he was in trouble?

Shifting the box in his arms for a better hold, he glanced at the wolf trailing behind him. This time, he couldn't rely on Link. He'd seriously screwed up and he couldn't (for once) in good conscience, drag anyone else into this mess with him. He felt bad enough just seeing what had become of Hilda. Seeming to sense his melancholy mood, Hilda whined and rubbed her head against his side.

"I know Hilda." He pushed down his guilt. After he was done with their notes, he promised himself he would find a way to turn Hilda back. "This will only take a minute."

Slipping past him, Hilda padded ahead of him into the alley. Flicking her tail, she swung her head back to look at him. He could almost hear her but of course, that was just his imagination. He drew in a deep breath. Goddesses but he was beginning to miss her and it had only been one day. He could only imagine how Hilda was feeling. After all, he wasn't the one running around on all fours.

Hilda gave a short, sharp bark to pull his attention back. Shooting her an apologetic smile, he quickened his step. "I haven't forgotten, Hilda. We'll take care of this and then we'll go looking for Midna."

Hilda nodded her head and trotted ahead towards the reason they were in this alley. It was surprising how hard it had been to find an oil barrel. They'd spent most of the day driving around Castle Town looking for one. It had taken driving through the city's industrial zone to find one. Dropping the box full of his papers and Hilda's notebooks into the barrel, he dug through his pocket for a match. Beside him, Hilda sat down on her haunches.

He struck the match against the side of the barrel and glanced down at Hilda. "No turning back Hilda, but I know this is the right thing. Without these notes Link and Zelda won't know where to look for the Master Sword."

Hilda growled softly and ducked her head. Ravio smiled wryly. "I know, I hate burning our work too but I really don't want them tangled in this any more than they already are."

Butting her head against his leg, she nuzzled against him and wuffed out a sigh. It was her way of agreeing with him. He dropped the match and watched the flames lick against the paper. For once, he was going to do the right thing. For once, he was going to take care of this on his own.

Eying the growing flames, he pulled out his phone and tapped in a number before hitting send. "Hello, Midna? What would you say to an exchange? If we get the Master Sword, will you change Hilda back?"

"Well," Midna purred. "If you can deliver, I am open to discussing the possibility. However, I'm sure you've heard our little fair has moved on from your quaint little city."

He gripped his phone tighter. He'd heard, of course he'd heard and if he hadn't? Well, the many messages Link had sent him would have informed him of the missing fair. "I'm aware. If we get the sword, where will we find you?"

Midna chuckled. "Oh, sweet little wanna-be hero. Get the sword first and we'll talk. You have my number so contacting me won't be a problem, right?"

"You don't think I can deliver."

"Your reputation precedes you, Ravio."

His blood went cold when she said his name. "Y-you know who I am?"

"Oh Ravie, even if little Hilda hadn't been cooing your name as the two of you skulked around my fair; I would know who you are. The bumbling courier of the black market. Tell me, have you ever been able to complete a job without getting your cousin to help you out?"

His eyes darted to Hilda, her ears were swiveled towards him but he sincerely hoped she couldn't hear what Midna was saying. "My cousin will not be involved, not this time."

"Oh?" Midna's lilting voice made him cringe. "Well, this should be interesting then. Find the sword Ravio and we'll talk."

The call disconnected and Ravio closed his eyes. He could do this. Opening his eyes, he met Hilda's trusting gaze. He had to do this.

* * *

"Do you remember anything you read from Hilda's notes?"

Zelda blinked and turned to Link. They were currently driving back to her place after leaving instructions with Anju about the cookies. Her friend had taken everything in stride and, had told her to only come back to work once she'd resolved things with Hilda.

She was beginning to suspect Anju had big plans for an extended vacation with Kafei. She was being almost too understanding with the amount of time she'd taken off lately…wait, what had Link asked again?

"Zelda?"

Right, he'd asked about Hilda's notes. Did she remember anything from them? Maybe…Hilda's notes had been meticulous and had clearly outlined where she'd wanted to search next.

"I think so. Hilda had made a lot of notes about the ruins North of Castle Town. I think she wanted to look there next."

"The old castle ruins?" He signalled for the next exit. "Alright then. We have maybe, what, a couple of hours left of daylight? Why don't we head there now?"

* * *

There were stories that like to say the ruins were what remained of the castle from the last time an evil entity known as Ganon tried to overthrow Hyrule. The story said the castle was destroyed during the final battle between Ganon and the Hero. A cute story but the truth was the structure fell into disrepair when the government changed from a monarchy to a democracy. The royal family was overthrown and had disappeared into history. No one was sure what had happened to them and, sadly, no one cared.

Gathering up her hair, Zelda tied it up with the hair tie she kept in her purse and looked to Link. "There is no way we're going to be able to get through the entire place in a couple of hours."

"Definitely not." Link agreed, ducking his head and looking at the towering ruins through his windshield. "I figure we can look through the gatehouse and maybe some of the outer buildings in the courtyard before we lose the light."

"You…sound like you've been here before."

"Oh? Uh," He gave her a sheepish look. "I kinda like ruins aaand ya, I may have poked around here before."

She smiled, enjoying the cute way he was squirming. "Well then, this should make looking through the ruins easier. What rooms haven't you been through?"

"Um." He turned to the windshield again. Zelda bit back a giggle, were his ears turning red too? "I sort have gone through the whole thing…but I was never really looking for anything sooo I can't remember if there was anything about the Master Sword or any of the family's heirlooms."

"Having someone know the layout though will be a huge help." Reaching over, she gave Link's hand a squeeze. "I'm glad you're helping me."

He shot a pleased grin her way. "I wouldn't let you go through this alone."

Her smile only grew. "Just the same, I want you to know I appreciate it." Then, she did something before she could chicken out. Leaning over the console between the seats, she gently kissed his cheek. "Thank you Link."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry this is so late! Please read and review!**

 **Sorry about the mistype there peoples! Not too sure how that got there :S**


	17. Chapter 17

Ravio cursed and threw the car into park. Laying on the backseat, Hilda lifted her head from her paws to give him an inquisitive stare. Thumping his head back against his seat, he rolled his head to look back at her.

"Zelda must have had a chance to read through your notes." He gestured to the car already parked outside the ruins. "That's Link's car."

Whining softly, Hilda jumped over the barrier between the seats to sit beside him. Dropping an around her, he hugged the wolf against his side. "I doubt he'd come here alone. I'm positive we'll find them both inside."

Hilda growled lowly and Ravio nodded silently. They would just have to make sure they got to the sword first…if it was even here.

* * *

Link helped Zelda over a bunch of rubble. The light was fading and unfortunately, neither of them were prepared to continue in the dark. Despite their time limit, they'd made decent progress. The gatehouse hadn't held anything of interest, but he'd been expecting that. Even the outer buildings, as interesting as it was to go through them again, held no clues as to the whereabouts of the family's treasury.

Of course, he was only guessing that the sword would be in the treasury. The family could have kept it as a display piece in their own bedrooms for all he knew. Searching these other rooms was probably a waste of time but he didn't want to overlook anything. Thankfully, Zelda seemed to feel the same way. If they were going to look through the ruins, they were going be thorough. Wandering over to a heap of broken furniture, Link eyed the dilapidated pile of wood. Spotting what looked to be a desk, he carefully picked his way over to it. He'd originally thought this building had been the stables but now he was questioning that.

A stable normally wouldn't hold office furniture. Heaving a piece of a broken chair away, his eyes ran over what was left of the desk. The desk had seen better days. Split in two, the only thing salvageable were the drawers. He started opening them at random. The drawers were mostly empty. No surprise there, he wasn't the first one to go through these ruins and he certainly wouldn't be the last. Maybe he'd suggest they visit a museum tomorrow? Anything of importance was probably removed from these ruins years ago, or at least that was what he assumed. Who knew though, maybe they'd over looked a secret room or something?

He opened the last drawer and paused. The drawer was full of papers. Pulling them out, he started skimming through the yellowed pages. At one point, they'd gotten wet and were, for the most part, illegible. It was no surprise then that these pages had been left behind. Feeling let down, he shoved the papers back into the drawer and slammed it shut.

"Link? Did you find something?"

The slamming of the drawer must have startled Zelda. He gave an abrupt shake of his head. "No, just a bunch of papers that can't even be read."

With a defeated sigh, Zelda abandoned whatever corner she'd been searching to join him in the main building. "I figured we wouldn't find anything out in the open but I'd had a small hope…" Not wanting to finish, she hugged herself and absently rubbed her hands over her arms. "Maybe we'll have better luck tomorrow. We can bring flashlights so that we aren't restricted to daylight hours."

He nodded in agreement. Now that they were done searching, for now at least, his mind had immediately latched onto something he'd purposely shelved until later. Zelda's kiss. He could still remember the soft press of her lips against his cheek. In his experience (as limited as it was) he didn't think women just ran around kissing random people. Not unless there were feelings there. Did Zelda feel more than just friendship for him? Did he dare take the chance to find out?

* * *

Zelda picked her way towards Link. For how old these ruins were, she was amazed at how well preserved they were. There was a lot of damage but, for the most part, everything was still standing. The furniture within the structures seemed to have taken the brunt of time's abuse. There were a few places where the walls were weaker and Link had been quick to point them out. Warning her to watch herself if she went near them. His concern was sweet and she'd been thankful for the dimming light that hid her flushed face.

While they'd searched, she'd been aware of every glance he'd sent her way. She blamed this new heightened awareness on the innocent little kiss she'd given him in the car. Since that moment she found herself stealing little glances at him as well. Somewhere along the way to the ruins she'd decided to give him hints she was open to more than friendship with him.

She understood her timing for this sucked but…she uncertainly caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Hilda was missing and Ravio was MIA as well. Who knew when they'd find the two of them? She didn't want to wait around for her sister to get her act together. If she did that, she could be waiting for years.

Stopping at the wooden pile of broken furniture, she waited for Link to join her. He nimbly hopped down from where he'd been balancing on a plank of wood. A sudden cut off curse was her only warning when he suddenly barrelled into her. Stumbling backwards, her gaze met his when her foot caught in a small crevasse. Their feet tangled and, horrified, she realized they were going to fall. She tried to look behind them. Was there anything back there that they could possibly hurt themselves on? Not that they could avoid it if there was…she shut her eyes. She couldn't remember…

* * *

Of all the rotten luck. Link wasn't normally so clumsy but he'd felt the pile of furniture shift beneath him and suddenly he was cartwheeling his arms and trying to keep his balance. He'd had no chance to warn Zelda either. One minute he'd been making his way down to her and the next, he was colliding into her at almost a full out run. It was no surprise that she'd tripped and their legs had gotten tangled in each other as they both tried to keep their balance.

He quickly glanced behind Zelda, thank the goddesses there was nothing they could hit their heads on behind them. Acting on instinct, he curled her head against his chest and locked his other arm across her back. Twisting slightly, he managed to shift their position just enough so that it was his arm and shoulder that took the brunt of the fall.

Groaning he gently released Zelda from the protective hold he'd had her in. Rolling onto her back, she blinked and her eyes darted around to take in their new position. His shoulder ached and there was a rock or a chunk of stone digging into his side but Zelda looked like she'd avoided injury. Propping himself up on his injured arm, he shifted his body and tried to remove the jagged rock digging into his side. His movements had him unknowingly leaning over her. Something he didn't realize until he heard her quick intake of breath and he met her wide-eyed stare.

He blinked down at her, uncertain of what to do. Well, no, that wasn't entirely true. He _knew_ what he wanted to do. He just wasn't sure if he should.

So instead he asked, "Are you alright?"

She licked her lips and really, he thought, that wasn't helping him at all.

"I…think so? Are you ok?"

"Ya, just…" He shifted again and finally managed to knock away the jagged stone that was digging into his side. "Ya, I'm ok." He settled back so that he wasn't leaning over her any more. "Just had something digging into my side."

"I…see." Now she had her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

He was beginning to think she was doing that on purpose.

"Um." Her stomach suddenly growled, completely interrupting whatever it was that had been building between them. Her face turned a brilliant red.

"Hungry?" The side of his mouth kicked up in a crooked smile. "I could go for something myself."

Wordlessly, she nodded and rolled away from him. There was a slight pang in his chest at the sudden distance she'd placed between them but he dismissed it. There definitely was something between them and he made a mental note to revisit it later. Standing up, he brushed the dirt off his clothes. Zelda had already retreated to the other side of the room. No doubt she was completely embarrassed that her stomach had given her away.

He tilted his head to the side. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Oh, um…" She made a show of pulling out her phone and double checking the time. "I had a late breakfast…so…"

"You skipped lunch?" His eyebrows shot up in surprise. No wonder her stomach had growled. "I hope that's not a habit of yours."

"N-no, not usually."

He nodded to himself. "Well, how about we grab something to eat before I drop you off at home?"

* * *

Ravio had planned to trail Link and Zelda but had quickly bowed out after he watched them take a tumble. Only an idiot wouldn't have noticed the mounting tension between the pair and the last thing Ravio had wanted was to watch his cousin make out with Hilda's sister. So, he'd grabbed Hilda by the scruff of her neck (apparently, she had no such qualms regarding spying on her sister) and had dragged her back to his car.

Drumming his fingers along the steering wheel he thought about his next move and decided now was a good time to get his things from Link's place. He'd leave his cousin a letter explaining their arrangement was off. He would find the sword on his own. Things were getting too complicated and, for once, he was going to do the right thing. He glanced over at Hilda. She was sitting beside him on the front seat and… was pouting. Huh, he would never have thought a wolf was capable of pouting but that was exactly what Hilda was doing.

"Sorry Hilda, but we're gonna use this time a little more wisely." Putting the car in reverse, he affectionately rubbed her head and laughed when she tried to nip his hand. "I have a key to Link's place. It's time we moved our base of operations some place else."

* * *

Ravio planned to make this stop a quick one. Leaving Hilda outside, he ran in to grab his suitcase. Letting himself in, it didn't occur to him that he hadn't felt the deadbolt slide back until he noticed a woman lounging on Link's couch. He recognized her immediately but he made sure Hilda had no intention of scratching at the door to be let in before he addressed the woman who'd made herself at home.

"What are you doing here Twinrova?"

The gerudo beauty stretched and sent him a cat-like smile. "Why Ravie, is that anyway to greet an old friend?"

"Probably not but the last time I checked, we weren't friends." A shiver ran down his spine. In fact, seeing Twinrova was never a good thing. "No games Rova, what do you want?"

"Goodness, your relationship to the little archeologist seems to have given you a bit of a backbone." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she crossed her long legs. "But, if you want to get to the point, I am happy to oblige." Her eyes fell on a framed picture of Link and Aryll. "How adorable! Your family?"

Ravio sucked in a panicked breath. "No, well…yeah…my cousin and his sister." He grimaced, he shouldn't have told her that but he and Link could easily pass for brothers. It didn't take a genius to see the family resemblance. "I'm just staying here while I search for the sword."

"Ah yes, the sword." Still looking at the picture, Twinrova picked up the frame and ran a manicured nail over Link's image. "My master has heard a rather alarming rumor that you are planning to give the sword to Midna."

"T-to Midna." Ravio laughed nervously while his mind ran a mile a minute. He hadn't forgotten about his original plans for the sword, not really. He just hadn't figured out how he was going to keep his promise to Midna and still fulfill his responsibility to his client. "I-I guess in a way I was…I planned to use Midna to deliver the sword…"

"See, that's what my master thought as well." Smiling smugly, she stood up. "So, I'm here to let you know there is no need to involve Midna." Crossing the living room, she ran her finger down his chest. "I also come with a warning, Ravio. Don't cross my master. You wouldn't want anything to happen…" She shoved the picture into his hands, "to that pretty little blonde girl with your cousin."

Her point made, Twinrova breezed by him. "A week Ravio, my master is giving you one week or he'll give you some incentive to work faster."

Clutching the picture frame, Ravio stared down at the smiling facing of Link and Aryll as Twinrova let herself out. If anything happened to Aryll, his client would be the least of his worries.

Link would kill him first.

Cursing loudly, he was sorely tempted to throw the frame against a wall but the picture didn't belong to him. Setting the frame back on the coffee table Twinrova had taken it from. He tilted his head and gently adjusted the frame until he was positive it was back in the exact position Twinrova had found it in. Her threat didn't change anything. Twinrova hadn't said anything about the reason why he was planning to give the sword to Midna. He could use that to his advantage.

He would still get the sword on his own. He would still use the sword as a trading chip to get Hilda turned back to a Hylian. He would just have to move quickly to meet his one-week deadline. Once Midna had the sword, he would spin a story saying Midna had taken the sword by force. He would turn his client's attention to the smuggler while he and Hilda safely disappeared.

* * *

Zelda wasn't sure how she'd found herself here or how Link had known about this little diner but she really didn't care. Even though her sister was missing, she couldn't help but enjoy Link's company. Their initial search of the ruins hadn't led to any discoveries but he was very optimistic they'd have better luck tomorrow. His optimism was infectious and she found herself feeling better the longer she was with him. He was so different from Ralph, who'd always been more pessimistic. Not once had Link made her feel that Ravio and Hilda's disappearance was her fault. Something she was eternally grateful for. She already felt guilty enough without anyone adding to it.

"Hello, what can I get for you?" Their waitress, Zelda glanced at her nametag, Peatrice came up to their table. She eyed Link with interest before giving Zelda a decidedly cold stare. "We have our pumpkin soup on special tonight."

Link glanced up from his menu. "Ah, just a cheeseburger and fries for me. What about you Zelda?"

Blinking, she quickly glanced at the menu again. She should have been using this time to decide on what she wanted to eat. "Uh, I think I'll have the same…with a chocolate shake please."

Peatrice raised an eyebrow and gave Zelda a once over before jotting the order down. Zelda felt her hackles raise at Peatrice's obviously judgmental look. Link coughed discreetly into his hand but she knew him well enough to know he was trying hard not to laugh. Turning her back to Zelda, Peatrice gave Link a brilliant smile. "I'll be right back with your order. Would you like anything to drink while you wait?"

Link grinned and winked at Zelda. "Just an extra straw will do. Thanks."

Giving Zelda another glare, Peatrice stomped off to give their order to the short order cook.

Link chuckled once the waitress was out of earshot. "I hope you didn't mind that I basically said you were my girlfriend."

Blushing, Zelda toyed with her cutlery. "I don't mind." She bit her bottom lip uncertainly before quietly adding. "It doesn't bother me if people think I am your girlfriend."

Link, who'd been taking a drink of water, nearly started to choke and Zelda's face only heated more at the bewildered look he gave her. She was too embarrassed to comment further. Thankfully, Peatrice chose that moment to return with her milkshake…and two straws.

They both hesitantly reached for their straw. Zelda kept an eye on Peatrice, no doubt the jealous waitress was going to keep an eye on them. Sticking her straw into the thick liquid, she met Link's gaze as they both leaned forward. At least the straws were long enough that their noses didn't awkwardly bump into each other as they shared the drink. She nearly jumped out of her seat when Link's hand covered her own on the table top and she blushed furiously when he laced their fingers together.

"Ahem." Peatrice cleared her throat. "I have your food." She unceremoniously dropped Zelda's plate in front her and carefully set Link's in front of him. Giving him a warm smile, she added, "Enjoy your meal."

Link snickered as he grabbed the ketchup. Even Zelda had to admit it was rather hilarious. "You might as well be dining alone with all the attention she's giving you."

He grinned at her. "I'm aware of that. Thank you for being such a good sport."

Taking the ketchup from him, she gave him a cheeky smile. "You're lucky I'm not the jealous type or I might have said something to Peatrice about her obvious interest in my man."

"Your man, hey?" Link grinned at her flushed face. "I kind of like the sound of that."

Zelda was pretty sure her face was as red as the ketchup on her plate. "Ummm…"

Link laughed, not caring if they drew attention to themselves. "Don't worry, I won't hold you to that."

Coughing discreetly, she dunked a fry into the glob of ketchup on her plate and stuffed it in her mouth. Maybe if her mouth was full, she wouldn't keep saying such stupid things. This was obviously all just a game to discourage Peatrice's unwanted attention. She focused on her food. Hopefully Link wouldn't notice the hurt look in her eyes.

* * *

Waving goodbye to Link, Zelda let herself in. He'd waited until she was safely inside before pulling away and again, she was touched at his concern. Moving through her front foyer, she unconsciously dropped her keys and purse on the table while kicking off her shoes. Despite everything, she'd had fun tonight with Link.

However, their little game at the diner had made one thing clear to her. She didn't want to be just Link's friend. She wanted more. She turned the idea over in her head. How was she going to get Link to see that though? All her little hints at the diner had been taken as just part of their act to discourage Peatrice. Maybe she needed to do something more…drastic? She frowned, but what if Link didn't want to a romantic relationship with her? How could she find out without ruining their friendship?

A brilliant idea suddenly came to mind and she rushed to grab her cell before she could second guess herself. Dialing a number that she knew by heart, she listened to the ringtone as she waited for the phone to pick up.

"Hello? Ruto?"

"Zelda?"

"Are you still trying to set me and Link up?"

The question obviously caught the Zora off guard as she scrambled to deny it but Zelda cut her off. "I need your help. Can you and Lulu to set us up on a blind date?


	18. Chapter 18

Zelda carefully lifted her coffee cup to her lips and distractedly took a sip as she clicked on another link. Glancing over the edge of the computer screen, she checked the time. It was still early and Link wouldn't pick her up until after lunch. She'd gotten to work early. Ridiculously early, actually. Anju would be coming in closer to lunch to take over but in the mean time, Zelda was using her office computer.

Mornings at the bed and breakfast were quiet. Most of their guests preferred to sleep in, which suited Zelda fine. She had already made croissants and had set them out to cool. She had the coffee maker set and ready to start brewing a new pot of coffee in about an hour, and the dining room was already set for the first few guests who would stumble down from their rooms still half asleep. That left her with only time to fill until then.

Eyes scanning the webpage, her brow furrowed in concentration and she pulled her notebook closer to her and jotted down a few points. She was still angry at herself for losing Hilda's research and had decided to do a bit of her own. She had no where near Hilda's resources but she figured she could start with brushing up on the children's tales Hilda had based her theories from. Although, the more she dug, the more confused she got. She'd already read the stories; the Hero of Time, Hylia's Hero and, her personal favorite, The Hero and Calamity Ganon. She was currently reading through the story about when the fabled hero had to jump between worlds to save the Princess and her sages. The first had the Princess and the sages trapped in crystal, the second had them turned into paintings. The more she read, the more she wondered how Hilda had come up with the theory that the sword was in the ruined castle.

Except for the Hero of Time's story, the sword was always deep within a forest. Even the Hero of Time's story didn't have the sword in a castle, it was hidden behind a magical door within a temple. So, why had Hilda's notes pointed to the ruins? Was she hoping to find documentation about the forest the sword was supposed to be in? If that was the case, why not just ask to see the artifacts that were dug up when the ruins were excavated? Those things had to be in a museum somewhere and Hilda would have had no problem getting permission to see them…or maybe she already had and what she'd been looking for wasn't among the artifacts? It would explain why she was returning to the ruins. Sighing, she closed her web browser. Maybe she'd ask Link what he thought?

The phone ringing at the front desk pulled her from her thoughts. Leaving Anju's office, she quietly closed and locked the door before walking the few steps needed to reach the phone.

"Thank you for calling Stock Pott Inn, how can I help you?"

"Zelda!" Ruto cried jubilantly. "What the heck are you doing there so early?"

She rolled her eyes, not that Ruto could see. "I work here Ruto. Someone has to get breakfast ready for the guests."

"I thought Anju usually working the morning though?"

Ruto was right, usually she would work later. It gave her a chance to get the baking for tomorrow done but, Zelda was still feeling guilty from all the time she'd taken off. She needed to pull her own weight around here again. Well, and she planned to spend most of the day with Link…she had no intention of telling Ruto that though. She suspected she knew the reason for Ruto's call. If Ruto knew just how much time she and Link were spending together…well, she'd never hear the end of it.

"Well, I was just calling to tell you everything is all set for your big date with Link!"

Yep, she was right. She'd figured that was the reason Ruto was calling so early in the day. "Where are we meeting?"

"Mezer's Grillhouse." Ruto answered in an exited rush. "I have no idea how Lulu pulled off reservations at one of the most exclusive places within Castle Town but—"

"Mezer's?" Zelda felt the color drain from her face.

She should have specified the type of date she wanted with Link. Mezer's Grillhouse wasn't a rowdy, family establishment like the name would suggest. It was an establishment of low-lighting, tables for two and a pricy menu to go with the romantic setting. If he didn't feel at all like that about her...this dinner would end up being incredibly awkward.

"Yoo-hoo, Zelda?" Ruto whistled to get her attention. "Are you still there? You got awfully quiet."

She pulled her focus back to Ruto. "S-sorry, I'm here." She swallowed and willed the heavy feeling in her stomach to go away. "D-don't you think Mezer's Grillhouse is a little extravagant for a blind date? There is no way Link will agree to something so—"

She stopped talking, her face flushing in embarrassment. She couldn't really say he'd never agree to something so expensive. It made it sound like he was a pauper and that was the furthest thing from the truth. The man owned the most popular night club in the city.

"I-I just don't think Mezer's Grillhouse is a good idea…" She bit her bottom lip. Hopefully Ruto wouldn't ask why it wasn't a good idea. "W-why not go somewhere else?" She searched her mind for another restaurant, any restaurant that wasn't a cheap fast-food place. "Um, Lon-Lon's! Yes, why not go to that little Italian restaurant? It's good and I know Link liked it—"

"Goddesses Zelda," Ruto groaned, "I swear I will hunt down Ralph and kick his ass myself for what he did to your confidence. Mezer's Grillhouse is perfect and Link was the one who suggested it. So, whatever is going on in your head right now, tell it to shut the hell up."

* * *

Parking his car, Link grabbed the white paper bag sitting beside him on the passenger seat and carefully lifted a cardboard tray from the passenger's side floor. Looking in his rear-view mirror, he eyed the bag he'd thrown on the backseat. The small duffle held flashlights, rope, notebooks, pens and whatever else he figured they might neat today. He debated taking the bag in but between the tray with the two coffees and the paper sac from the bakery, his hands were full. If Zelda wanted to take her car instead of his, he could easily get his bag when they went to leave.

Closing the driver's door with his hip, he placed the paper bag on the roof of the car and used the little fob to lock the doors. There were three other vehicles in the lot besides his and Zelda's. Hopefully none of the guests were up yet and they'd be able to enjoy the coffee and bagels before she had to prep for the day. He'd told her he'd be by after lunch but he'd been too excited to wait around home until the afternoon. So, he decided to surprise her instead.

He blamed Malon for his sudden restlessness. She'd called to set up his blind date with Zelda. He'd been reluctant at first to set a date but Malon wouldn't let him go until he had. Hopefully Mezer's Grillhouse wouldn't scare her away. He'd only been to the place once before. He'd liked the restaurant but not the person who'd been with him at the time. He shuddered, now was not the time to be thinking about Illia and the disaster of a date he'd had with her. His date with Zelda would be different. For one thing, he wouldn't be tempted to sneak out the back entrance to get away from her.

The lobby was empty. No surprise there, Link thought as he glanced inside the dining room and found a couple of guests sitting at the long dining table. His eyes scanned the room for Zelda before spotting her by the service table beside the door to the kitchen. She was holding a silver carafe while chatting with another couple. Spotting him, she smiled and said something to the couple to excuse herself before crossing the room.

"Link, I thought you were coming later this afternoon?"

Smiling, he held up the tray and bag. "I was but thought it would be nice to share this with someone."

Smiling warmly, she motioned for him to follow her. "Sure, we can eat in the kitchen."

"What about?" He gestured with his chin to the people occupying the dining room. Not that he didn't want a little privacy but he understood she had responsibilities here.

"Oh, they'll be fine. If they need anything, they know where to find me." Pushing through to the kitchen, she turned on her heel. "I was doing some research this morning."

"Oh?" Pulling the Styrofoam cups out of the tray, he set one in front of Zelda. "What were you looking at?"

Curling her hands around the cup, Zelda popped off the lid. "I wanted to brush up on the fairy tales Hilda was basing her theories from."

"Did you find anything?" Grabbing a napkin, Link placed a bagel on it before sliding it towards her.

"Kind of?" She smiled when she saw the cream cheese. How'd he know? Shaking her head to clear the thought, she took a sip of coffee before continuing. "All the stories I looked at mentioned the sword but not a one said that the hero got the sword from a castle. He usually went to a forest to retrieve the blade. There was only one story that I could find where he didn't get the sword from a place called the Lost Woods."

"The Hero of Time story?" Taking a bite of his bagel, he chewed thoughtfully. Swallowing, he added, "the Hero found the sword in a Temple in that one, right?"

Zelda nodded. "Yes. So, I don't understand why Hilda wanted to search the ruins. Why not track down where the Lost Woods are supposed to be?"

She had a point. He didn't know too many of the old legends. The Hero of Time had always been a favorite of his, which was why he knew it so well. If the others all said the sword was deep in a forest, why were they looking in the ruins?

"Was she looking for something that might tell her where the forest is?" There were a lot of forests in Hyrule but not a one was called the Lost Woods. There were the Minish Woods, Faron Forest, Damel forest, Korok Woods, and that was just naming a few. They couldn't possibly search them all.

"That was what I was thinking." Zelda took a bite of her own bagel. Chewing, she frowned and swallowed. "She must have already checked out the artifacts that were recovered from the initial excavation. Why else would she be taking the time to go through them?"

"We'll have to trust that was what she was doing." Polishing off his bagel, he threw his napkin away. "Having an idea of what to look for will help narrow our search. There's no point in looking beyond the library and throne room. I can't see us finding anything of use in the bedrooms."

"What about the Princess' old room?" Zelda picked at her bagel and pulled off a chunk. "I've read she used to be quite the scholar." She popped the piece of bagel into her mouth. "I think we should check her room first. I think that would be the most likely place to find clues about the Lost Woods."

* * *

Ravio sat back and wiped his arm across his forehead. "I don't think we're going to find anything here."

He looked over to where Hilda was nosing her way through another pile of debris. They'd returned to the ruins bright and early. He'd hoped to find the sword before Link and Zelda returned. They'd already wasted half the morning digging through old rooms and he was beginning to worry they were running out of time. They needed to stay one step ahead of Link and Zelda if they were going to keep their family out of this.

Growling lowly, Hilda trotted over to him and flopped down by where he was sitting. They were both covered in dust and the ruins were heating up the longer the sun beat down on the rock. There wasn't much air movement within the stone walls and he was ready to move their search to another locale. Preferably one that was more out in the open, maybe with a nice breeze.

"Are you sure this room used to be the treasury?" Picking himself up off the floor, he brushed the dust off his pants. "We haven't seen a hint of treasure in here. No coins, no old ledgers to keep track of the money flow, nothing."

Hilda huffed and turned away with a flick of her tail. Ravio rolled his eyes. She'd obviously taken offense to his questioning. "I'm just asking. No need to get snippy with me."

Hilda's ears flattened against her skull and she lowered her head to her paws with a low whine. He let out a defeated sigh and crossed over to her. Dropping to his knees, he gave the large wolf a hug. "I get it, you're doing your best. I just don't think we're going to find the sword here. I think we should search the throne room again."

He didn't really understand why they were having such a hard time finding the stupid sword. They'd already checked out the museums. A few had swords on display, all recovered years ago when the ruins were first excavated and catalogued but none had matched the description of the legendary sword that had been used for ceremonies. Hilda had always insisted they would never find the mythical sword among the ordinary artifacts. She'd been convinced the sword was hidden away somewhere.

She'd thought the royal family would have hidden it away until it was needed again but he personally thought that was preposterous. Or, at least, he did until his girlfriend had been turned into a wolf. Now he was ready to believe pretty much anything. Even a sword that was supposed to be able to cut through evil. He kind of wished he'd taken more time to research the fairy tales Hilda seemed so fixated on but he'd thought they were just a bunch of children's tales.

Maybe burning Hilda's notes had been a mistake.

* * *

Stepping out of Link's car, Zelda stretched. The sun was high overhead and they had plenty of daylight hours left to search through the Princess' room and the throne room. She was confident they would find something. It was just a feeling she had.

Grabbing his bag from the backseat, Link paused and stared at the ground. Wondering what had caught his attention, she walked around the car to see what he was looking at. Tilting her head curiously, she blinked and stared at the dirt but…saw nothing.

"Link?"

He glanced up at her, a little startled to see her standing beside him. "These tire treads are different from mine."

"Really?" She looked down at the ground again. They looked the same to her.

"Yeah, the tread pattern is different." He angled his head and traced the pattern with his eyes. "I don't really recognize it though."

"Well I'm sure we're not the only ones who come here." She still was having trouble seeing the significance of the different tire treads. So, someone else had been out here before they'd gotten here. There were no other cars here now, so who ever had been here was long gone by now.

"These look fresh." He knelt for a closer look.

She lifted an eyebrow. "Ok mister tracker, how do you know that?"

He glanced up at her. "The wind hasn't had a chance to fill these in yet, not like the other." He gestured to the other tire tread marks littering the small dirt lot. "Someone was here very recently."

"Well, they're gone now, right?" For good measure, she glanced around to see if she could spot another car in the distance. "We don't own the ruins. Anyone can come here and go through them so long as they're careful."

"Yeah." He straightened but didn't look convinced. "I still would like to know who it was though."

"You think it might have been Ravio?" On the car ride over, Link had told her he still hadn't heard from his cousin.

"Maybe." He tilted his head back to stare at the ruins. "Either way, there is not much I can do if whoever was here has already left." He held out a hand to her. "Shall we?"

It took them little over half an hour to pick their way through the ruins to the Princess' room. Zelda just couldn't bring herself to say, 'Princess Zelda's room'. It was just too weird. It was just as she suspected though. The room was full of old books. Shelves upon shelves of them. Why they weren't removed with the rest of the artifacts was beyond her but it certainly worked in their favor. She doubted they could have convinced a museum to let them look at the books. She excitedly pulled down her first book. Maybe they would luck out! Maybe this one book would hold the answers they needed to find the Lost Woods.

Ten books later, she realized this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought and she understood why these books had been left behind. They were full of useless drivel. Each book was filled with meticulous notes about plants and animals. Some went into depth about their healing properties or their enhancement abilities. All the facts listed were already well known and had been documented by doctors, or people who hadn't been playing at being a scholar. She grimaced at that last thought. It had been a bit harsh but she was getting tired. She wanted to find their answer already. How many more books was this going to take?

"Zelda?" Link called from the other side of the room.

She looked up from the book she'd been slowly paging through. It took her a minute to find him. He'd somehow managed to work his way behind a large bookshelf and was now poking his head out from behind it.

"What are you doing back there?" Setting the book down, she crossed the room to peer behind the bookshelf. There was a small nook behind the shelf and there was a strange crest on the wall. "What is that?"

Link shook his head and turned back to study it. "I…don't know but something about it seems familiar to me."

She frowned. Funny, she'd been about to say the same thing but she'd never seen anything like it before in her life. "It…kind of looks like the royal crest."

"Ya." Reaching out, he ran a hand lightly over the elaborate painting. "It's not quite the same though."

"I know, I've never seen those six crests before. Even the crests within each piece of the Triforce looks so odd." Her frowned deepened. It looked odd but something about it resonated with her, wanting to draw her closer.

"Zelda? What are you doing?" Link turned away from the strange crest to pull her away when she would have walked into the wall.

Blinking to clear her head, she turned to him. "I-I don't know." She shook her head. "I…"

Link sucked in a shocked breath. "Holy Farore, Zelda! Look!"

She looked back at the crest. The crest was now glowing faintly in the shadows behind the bookshelf. She exchanged a bewildered look with Link. "Wh-when did that happen?"

"When you stepped closer." Link eyed the crest and then looked at her.

He didn't have to suggest it. She knew what he was going to ask. She took a single step closer to the glowing crest.

Nothing happened.

"Well that makes no sense." Scratching his head, he leaned forward and yelped when the crest suddenly flared brighter. "What the—"

"Is it reacting to both of us?" She frowned and visually measured their distance from the crest.

When Link had leaned forward, he'd been in line with her but now that he'd moved back. The crest had dimmed a bit. Getting an idea, she grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. Instantly, the crest flared to life. It was definitely responding to their proximity.

"Ok, so now what?" Link tilted his head. "It glows when we get closer but what does it mean?"

Feeling that strange pull again, she ignored his question. She wanted to touch the crest. She wanted to feel the warmth beneath her hand. She stretched an arm out. This time, Link didn't stop her.

Her hand passed through the wall.

She blinked in surprise and yanked her hand back. Was the wall fake? Letting go of Link's hand, she stepped right up to the wall and placed both hands on the crest.

Nothing happened. Her hands rested harmlessly on the crest and…was it her imagination or had the crest dimmed again?

"I think it needs both of us." Link moved closer. Standing behind her, he reached around and placed his hands over top of hers.

The crest flared and suddenly the wall gave away. Shutting her eyes against the sudden glare, she felt Link's arms close around her as they both fell forward. The last thing she remembered before everything went black was a grunt of pain from Link.


	19. Chapter 19

Link groaned and rolled onto his back. What happened? One minute they were looking through the Princess' room and the next they were…falling through a wall? Frowning to himself, he cracked open an eye. Where ever they were, it was pitch black…no, wait. He squinted. There was a faint blue glow coming from somewhere…well, somewhere nearby.

"Zelda?" He grimaced at the rough timber of his voice.

His head pounded and still felt cloudy. He must have lost consciousness at some point but he couldn't be sure. Maybe Zelda would be able to tell him what happened…that is, if she ever answered him.

"Zelda?" Why wasn't she answering him?

With growing concern, he reached out to feel around himself. He vaguely remembered using his body as a shield when they'd fallen through the wall but he had no recollection of what happened after. Zelda should have been beside him…or somewhere near him…Ugh why couldn't he remember anything beyond falling? Regardless of that, the floor around him was cold and Zelda-less. Where ever she was, it wasn't with him.

Great, just great. They were lost Goddesses knew where and she'd decided to go exploring without him. Hopefully there was nothing here that could hurt them. He groaned again as he sat up. His body protested the movement and, judging by the way his head was spinning, he probably had a concussion. Holding his head, he twisted around to find the source of the blue glow.

"Zel—" He winced at the stabbing pain in his head. Ok, yelling louder wasn't an option for him. He would need to do this the old fashioned way and go look for her. Assuming he could stand without feeling dizzy.

Slowly, he got to his feet. Apparently he'd been lying in a narrow corridor, something that was evident when he lost his footing and crashed into the wall. Pushing away from one wall, he immediately bumped into the opposite wall at his back. He blinked and rested his head against the wall while waiting for the room to stop spinning. Yep, he definitely had a concussion. Using the wall as a brace, he slowly started to make his way towards the blue light. Hopefully, he'd find Zelda soon.

* * *

Tilting her head, Zelda studied the strange mummy behind the glowing blue barrier. She just couldn't make sense of it. The thing must have been here for centuries…maybe longer. How'd this thing get missed when the ruins were excavated? Shaking her head, she walked down from the small platform she'd been standing on. Circling the strange barrier, she reached out and pressed a hand against it. It felt warm but it appeared there was no way to get passed it. She couldn't see any seams or breaks anywhere. Whatever was creating this barrier had to be hidden in the floor or the ceiling then. Stepping back, she craned her neck to look at the ceiling. The light was just too faint to see it clearly. Maybe she should go back and see if Link's bag had made it through the wall with them. The flashlights he'd packed would be handy right about now and she could check on Link too.

She felt bad for just leaving him there but she'd been afraid to move him. When she'd woken up, he'd been unconscious. She'd checked him over as best she could for injuries and had felt something wet and sticky where his head was lying against the floor. From there she'd immediately checked his pulse and had been relieved to find it was beating strongly beneath where her fingers pressed against his neck. She'd been left to wait for him to regain consciousness on his own. It was then that she'd noticed the blue glow. She'd decided to go investigate, promising herself she would only take a quick peek and then return to Link. The mummy had surprised her and before she knew it, she had crossed the small chamber to check it out. Hopefully he hadn't woken up without her there. She could just imagine how worried he would be…

"Zelda!"

She cringed. Dammit, she'd been gone too long then. Rounding the strange barrier, she frowned when she saw him. The apology that had been on the tip of her tongue fled the moment she saw he was leaning heavily against the wall. It was almost like he was afraid to walk away from it. Forgetting the mummy and the strange barrier of light, she quickly crossed to his side.

"Are you ok? I didn't mean to just leave you there. I wanted to see what was causing the blue light…" Pressing against his side, she moved his arm around her shoulders and hugged her arm around his back to help support him. "I'd hoped to get back before you woke up."

"Uh huh." Was his distracted reply. She risked a quick peek. Like her, he was completely distracted by the strange mummy at the center of the room. "What in the name of Farore is that?"

She hid a smile, pleased that he wasn't upset with her. "A mummy, I think?"

His hand gripped her shoulder as he shifted his weight away from the wall. She staggered a bit under his added weight but quickly pressed herself closer to help him balance. Instantly, the pair started shuffling towards the blue barrier and the mummy encased behind it.

"I think it's a woman." She glanced up at him as she spoke. "I recognize the symbol on her clothes too. It's the Sheikah symbol."

"Sheikah?" Link looked incredulously at her with wide eyes. "So, they actually existed?"

"I guess so?" She bit her bottom lip and wished Hilda was there with them. This was Hilda's area of expertise, not hers. "According to the stories, they protected the royal family."

"Ok." He studied the mummified Sheikah. "So, what's this one doing here? And why's it behind this barrier?"

She shook her head. She had no answer to that. His guess was as good as hers. Hesitantly, she again reached out towards the barrier. "I have no idea why she was buried like this. Hilda might have been able to tell us why this one was preserved like this."

"I guess." Link frowned and eyed her hand where it rested against the barrier. "Are you sure you should be touching that?"

"Nothing happened the last time." She smiled up at him. "What are you afraid of? It's not like she's going to start talking."

He didn't reply, he just continued to stare uneasily at her hand. "We shouldn't disturb it…"

With his free hand, he reached out to gently remove her hand. As his hand brushed against the barrier, it suddenly shattered into millions of twinkling lights. Instantly Link was moving in front of her and nearly fell for his trouble. She threw her arms around his waist and threw her weight in the opposite direction to keep him upright.

Link grunted and his hand closed over where hers were clasped around his waist. "Th-thanks that probably wasn't the smartest move on my part."

Her cheek was pressed firmly against his back but she was positive he could feel her smiling. "You have to stop throwing yourself in front of me. I can hold my own…"

He snorted and shook his head. "Ya, that's not gonna happen."

She rolled her eyes but her smile stayed firmly in place. Circling around him, she fought down her blush when he easily tucked her back against his side. She told herself it was just because he needed her to help keep his balance but a part of her secretly hoped it was also because he liked her tucked up against his side.

"So the barrier responded the same way as that weird crest on the wall."

"You mean it disappeared when we both touched it?" Link lifted an eyebrow and turned his attention back to the mummy. "I guess so, but what does it mean?"

 _I am Impa. Long have I awaited your rebirth…_

Both Link and Zelda froze as the soft voice surrounded them. Link's grip on her shoulder tightened as they both craned their necks trying to see who was talking.

 _I am all that remains of a time long forgotten._

Link's body tensed and he sucked in a shocked breath. "Zelda…I think it's the mummy."

"The mummy…" Her eyes widened. The mummy in question remained unmoving but instinctively, she knew he was right. The spirit of the Sheikah was speaking to them.

 _If you have found my shrine, it means the Master Sword is needed once more. Lost to time, the Sword of Evil's Bane will reveal itself once more to the Goddess' Hero. Seek out the Guardian spirit of Korok Woods. The Deku Tree has withstood time itself and will know what became of the Sword._

The voice faded and the mummy, Impa, dissolved into shimmering green particles.

 _May the Goddess smile upon you._

* * *

Link was creeped out to say the least. It wasn't every day that someone from beyond the grave spoke directly to you. Slowly, he became aware of how his fingers must be digging into Zelda's shoulder and forced his body to relax. This was starting to get really weird.

"Link?" There was a slight tremor to Zelda's voice. He didn't have to look at her to know she was feeling the same as him. "Maybe, maybe we should call it a day?"

He slowly nodded, not trusting his voice to be steady enough to answer her. Together, they turned away from the now empty shrine and made their way to the entrance. Briefly, he wondered if they'd have a problem with leaving but pushed the thought away. Now was not the time to be pessimistic. They were not going to be trapped here. He wouldn't even consider the idea. They would reach the end of the hall and they would find that strange glowing crest again. All they had to do was touch it and they should be able to pass through the wall unharmed.

"L-Link?" Zelda cleared her throat and spoke again, this time without her voice breaking. "What if we're stuck here?"

Apparently, Zelda was going to voice what he didn't dare say out loud himself. "Then we'll check if our cells have signal and we'll call for help." There, that sounded plausible right?

Neither of them dared to check their phones for fear of seeing the red warning 'No Signal' on their screens.

At least he was starting to feel better. He wasn't feeling nearly as dizzy anymore and, truth be told, he probably could have been walking now without Zelda's assistance but he preferred to keep her close to his side. She'd already proved she had no problem wandering off on her own and he didn't relish the idea of being separated from her in this weird place.

"About what Impa said." Zelda spoke a few minutes later to break the silence. "Do we follow what she said?"

"You mean about the Guardian spirit of the Korok Woods?" He rolled the idea around in his mind. "Honestly, it can't hurt unless you have a better idea of where to look next."

"I really don't." Zelda admitted quietly. "I just feel weird about following a disembodied voice we think was the spirit of that Sheikah."

"I wonder why it disappeared…" He sighed. He was only talking out loud. He didn't really expect her to have an answer. He was just beginning to feel like someone was pulling a rather elaborate prank on them.

"Link?" Zelda cleared her throat and let out an uncertain breath. "I…I am not sure what to make out of all of this but I'm beginning to think magic might actually be a real thing…"

His gaze shifted to her. Honestly, he'd been thinking the same thing himself.

"Do…" She paused as if she was unsure if she should continue her thought. Shaking her head, she turned and their gazes locked. "Do you think Ravio was telling the truth? Did Midna really turn Hilda into a wolf?"

"I…" He frowned.

What should he say? Should he say, yes? Yes, your sister is a wolf and only a magic sword had any hope of turning her sister back to a Hylian? Or did he deny it and tell her the idea of someone turning into a wolf was ridiculous? For crying out loud, they'd just seen a-who-knows-how-old mummy speak to them and disappear. After that, a person turning into a wolf was suddenly thrown into the realm of possibilities.

"I really don't know what to think any more." He admitted sadly. He wished he could have given her more hope but the truth of the matter was, Hilda could very well be a wolf.

* * *

Thankfully, the crest had been glowing faintly on the wall when Zelda and Link made it to the end of the hall. Knowing what would happen, they both reached out and easily stepped through the wall instead of falling through like last time. Zelda blinked at the change of lighting after being in the dark hallway of the hidden shrine. Judging from the light spilling into the Princess' room, it was now late in the afternoon.

"Huh, I didn't think we'd been down there long." Link's arm dropped away from her shoulders as he moved out from behind the bookcases to look outside. "Was I really out for that long?"

She shrugged. She had no way of judging since she wasn't wearing a watch and she hadn't checked the time on her phone once while they'd been in the shrine. At least he was moving on his own.

"So, what should we do now?" She kept her eyes trained on the fading light outside.

It was too late to go to Korok Woods. The forest was easily a two hour drive from here. A day trip was doable…they would just have to leave really early in the morning. Unless, of course, Link wanted to spend more than one day out there. She had no idea where they would find this forest spirt Impa had talked about. Maybe it would be better if they spent a few days out in the woods? So they could search uninterrupted?

"Well, Korok Woods is out of the question." Rubbing the back of his neck, he turned to her. "Maybe tomorrow? For now, I think we should head back."

She slowly nodded but caught Link's hand before he could walk away. When he'd passed her, she'd finally gotten a good look at the blood matted in his hair. She knew head injuries tended to bleed more but she was still surprised by the amount of congealed blood she'd seen in his hair.

"Hang on a second, I want to have a look at the back of your head."

He blinked and his free hand immediately went to the back of his head. His eyes widening when he felt the knot at the back of his head. "I'm sure it's nothing. I'm not dizzy anymore."

She arched an eyebrow. "Anymore?" It was just like a man to blow off a head injury. "Were you feeling nauseous at all earlier? Or confused?"

"We fell through a wall. How could I not have felt confused when I first woke up?" Link answered wryly but sat down on a surprisingly in-tact chair.

"Fine, you obviously know the early signs of a concussion. Did you have any of the other symptoms?"

"Just a headache and my head felt a bit cloudy." Link answered patiently while she checked his pupils using a flashlight from his bag.

"Maybe I should take you to a doctor." Zelda frowned and moved the light in front of his eyes again. His pupils seemed to be responding nicely but she wasn't a doctor.

"If it would make you feel better." He tracked the light with his eyes before meeting hers. "The doctor might want you to stick around to keep an eye on me though."

Zelda blushed. "If the doctor prescribes that I watch you for the next 24 hours then I'll do it."

When he grinned, Zelda felt like she'd played right into his hands.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry this is so late. Between the holiday (I'm Canadian, so this weekend was Thanksgiving) and the craziness of this last week, I didn't have much time to write. I apologize if there are a lot of grammar/spelling mistakes in this. I didn't proof read this chapter like I usually do. I'll go back and do that tomorrow. Thanks to all who reviewed and favorited/liked me or this story!**


	20. Chapter 20

"There is no way that man is a practicing doctor!"

Taking his menu from the hostess, Link hid his smile and fixed a disbelieving look on his face. "I'll have you know my Grandmother swears Dr. Borville is the best there is."

She paused in the act of opening her own menu. "Y-your Grandmother? Oh, well…"

Trying to keep a straight face, he nodded seriously. "Yep, she swore he was the best doctor Hyrule had 10 years ago."

"Ten?" She blinked at him as what he said slowly sunk in. "Ten!" She dropped the menu and her face flushed a pretty rose. "I knew it! I shouldn't have let you to talk me out of taking you to the emergency room!"

"And we'd still be sitting at the hospital waiting to see someone." Grinning widely, he lifted the menu a bit.

Pressing her lips together she dropped her gaze to her menu. "Fine, we'll eat and then I'm taking you to a real doctor."

Link grinned and thankfully, she was too absorbed in her menu to see him roll his eyes. He wasn't concerned about his concussion, at least not anymore since the lingering headache was gone. Dr. Borville hadn't been a practicing doctor for several years but the treatment for concussions hadn't changed. Even if the old man hadn't given him a clean bill of health, he'd had concussions before. He was, unfortunately, no stranger to them. He knew the drill; plenty of rest, take it easy and get his ass back to a doctor if he suddenly starts to experience the symptoms again.

Their impromptu trip to Dr. Borville, an old family friend, had really been a way to distract Zelda.

When they'd left the ruins, Zelda had driven them back into Castle Town and it was during the trip back that Link had noticed he had missed texts from Lulu. The gist of them were that Zelda was worried about dinner tonight. Understandable, he'd thought as he scrolled to the next message. Her last boyfriend had been an asshole. If he'd taken her to an expensive restaurant, Ralph had probably held it over her head for months afterwards.

What Zelda needed was a distraction. Something to take her mind of their dinner date. Instantly, Link knew what he had to do and had messaged Lulu back with a simple, 'don't worry, I'll handle it'. Immediately after, he'd suggested making a home visit to a Doctor his family knew. The look on her face when she saw Dr. Borville had been priceless.

"Link?" Zelda's call pulled him from his thoughts and he glanced up to meet her concerned look. "Are you ok? You zoned out…is your headache back?"

He quickly shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Sorry about that, I was just thinking. Did you know what you want to order?"

She shot him an uncertain look but turned her attention back to her menu. "No…not yet." She frowned as her eyes scanned down the page. "Um…"

"Zelda."

She looked at him.

"Don't worry about the cost." His mouth kicked up into a crooked smile. "I assure you, I wouldn't have told Lulu to make the reservation here if I couldn't afford it."

"I…" Breaking eye contact, she bit her bottom lip uncertainly.

He sighed, his smile turning rueful as he watched her carefully peruse the menu. She hadn't clue about how he felt about her. On one hand it was endearing. On the other, it made him want to hunt down Ralph. The man had truly done a number on her and he would need to be patient with her. Thankfully, he was a very patient man.

* * *

Zelda could feel her face growing hotter the longer she stared at her menu without speaking. She'd completely forgotten about where they were having dinner when she'd met that ancient man Link had the nerve to call a doctor. Oh, she didn't doubt that the man had been a practicing doctor at one time. She just couldn't believe the man would have kept up with current medical practices. The man was ancient and clearly in retirement. She should have insisted on driving them straight to the emergency room but Link had insisted he was fine to drive after the 'doctor visit' and had taken them straight to Mezer's Grillhouse.

She'd been so fixated on the retired doctor, she hadn't truly realized where they were until she had the menu in her hand. The prices listed beside the extravagant dishes had brought her back to reality. She couldn't in good conscious let Link pay for this meal on his own. This was a simple let's-see-if-we-want-to-be-more-than-friends kind of date. Mezer's Grillhouse was more of a yes-we-definitely-are-more-than-friends kind of place.

And the quiet voice saying Link's choice in venue was a huge sign he wanted to be more than friends could just shut up.

She refused to read more into this than she already was aaaaand she was now effectively hiding behind her menu. She sighed miserably and her shoulders crept up somewhere around her ears. Maybe she wasn't ready to start dating. The only thing that could top off her night now would be if Ralph showed up. Actually no, scratch that, she didn't want to tempt fate.

Her eyes fell on the list of salads. She'd order one of those. They weren't too terribly expensive and these places always served huge portions so it was sure to fill her up. She'd just closed her menu when their waitress came to their table to take their orders.

"Have the two of you decided on what you'll order?" The waitress asked politely while eyeing the two of them with her pen poised over her pad.

Link set his menu down with a nod of his head. "Yes, I'll have the Salmon Muenière, and please add the Poultry Pilaf to whatever salad the lady orders."

Her shoulders tensed and her eyes grew large. Did-did he just…order for her? Well, not really, he more like, added to her order…and how did he know she was going to order a salad? Maybe she had been planning to order a bowl of soup! Ya, she should order a bowl of soup just to prove…ah who was she kidding? She didn't even know what soups they offered here.

"And for the lady?" The waitress smiled at her with a raised eyebrow as if to say she knew exactly what had been going through Zelda's head. "Would you like to hear our available soups for the evening?"

Link coughed, a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. She glared at him. Link cleared his throat and offered her a smile. Jerk, he was totally laughing at her.

"I'll just have the house salad."

"With the Poultry Pilaf?" The waitress asked with a teasing lilt in her voice.

She drew in a deep breath and nodded.

"Excellent choice!" The waitress capped her pen. "Would either of you like something other than water?"

* * *

Ravio traced his fingers lightly over the crest behind the book shelves. Link and Zelda had spent an exceedingly large amount of time behind these stupid shelves and he couldn't understand why. Sure, the crest was interesting but…it wasn't _that_ interesting. He sighed and looked down at Hilda. She was sitting quietly at his feet with a curious tilt to her head. She was obviously trying to figure out what had been so interesting back here too.

Maybe he should have tried to get closer when they'd been looking back here but he'd been worried they'd spot him if they suddenly decided to walk out from behind the shelves. Sighing to himself, he plopped down beside Hilda.

"I just don't get it." His eyes easily picked out the different crests of the six sages surrounding the Triforce. "I don't think the different crests would have meant anything to Link or Zelda. The symbols within the Triforce are the crests for courage, wisdom and power…but having these symbols all together doesn't mean much of anything."

Hilda whined and pressed her ears against her head. He leaned against her and tiredly rubbed his eyes. "I'm trying Hilda, really I am but I haven't a clue what it could mean. Is it a hint meant to tell us where the sword is?"

Growling lowly, Hilda yipped sharply and butted her head against his side. Shooting her an annoyed glare, he climbed back to his feet. "Alright, alright, no need to get pushy."

Hilda herded him closer to the crest until he was basically pressed against the wall. Using his hands to catch himself, he glared down at her. Satisfied he wouldn't move, she sidled up beside him and propped her front legs against the wall and stretched herself as high up as she could. Ravio gave her a dubious look. What exactly was she expecting to happen? He turned back to the crest. Did she think this was a false wall?

They stood there for half a minute.

Nothing happened.

Removing his hands, he gave Hilda a pointed look. "There's nothing here. We're wasting our time searching this room."

Hilda growled and laid her head against the wall. He smiled and affectionately rubbed behind her ears. He could sympathize. He felt like they were missing something too but, unless they asked Link and Zelda, there was no way to know what had them so occupied back here. A sudden thought occurred to him, maaaaybe they didn't want to know what had kept them occupied back here. He chuckled to himself, it would explain why they'd been talking about checking Link for a concussion as they'd been leaving.

* * *

"So, I was thinking we would maybe camp out in the woods for a couple of nights while we search for the forest spirit."

Zelda paused with her fork partway to her mouth. "Camping?"

"Well, ya. We could see if they have cabins to rent, I guess." He frowned and stared down at his plate. "But I think we'd make better progress if we didn't have to track back to a cabin every night."

She watched him as she silently chewed. He had a point. Camping would allow them to pick up their search without retracing their steps. It would be more efficient too but, they didn't know where in Korok woods they should search. That forest was huge and maps of the area were incomplete. People were still trying to properly map the huge forest. Without cell coverage or a proper map, they could easily get lost while, ironically, looking for the Lost Woods.

She swallowed. They should try to figure out where the spirit was supposed to be in the woods, or something. An internet search should be enough to give them direction. She could use that new search engine, ask_Fi.

"Alright, but on one condition."

He stared at her with wide eyes, his fork sticking out of his mouth after taking another bite. His eyebrows questioningly rose above his hairline.

"I imagine I am right to assume you have no intention of going to the emergency room after supper?" She waited for him to slowly nod his head to confirm her suspicion. She nodded to herself. It was what she'd been expecting. "Then I insist on coming back to your place to keep an eye on you."

His eyes got even bigger and she worriedly wondered if he was going to choke.

"Don't get any ideas. It really is to keep an eye on you and I would like to use your computer to search out possible locations for this Deku-spirit-thing we're supposed to look for. We need to have an idea of where to look before we start trekking through the forest to look for it."

Link swallowed thickly and nodded. "Fair enough but when do you plan to get your stuff for said camping trip?"

Resting her head on her hand, Zelda's mouth curled into a smile. "A trip like this takes time to plan, silly, and we both need to make arrangements at work if we're going to be gone for a few days."

He frowned, obviously he was thinking she was agreeing to this way too easily. Her smile grew as she dropped her final condition. "Oh, and you can explain to the Zora sisters that we'll be camping alone in the woods."

"What! No, if they find that out…"

Smiling to herself, she met his bewildered gaze. "Exactly. You explain it because I have no desire to deal with the 20 questions they'll ask the second they hear of our plans."

Link groaned and dropped his head forward. "As you wish."


	21. Chapter 21

"You haven't said a think about your date with Link." Sitting on Zelda's bed, Ruto plucked at the clothes strewn over the bed. "It must have gone well if you guys are going off on a romantic getaway."

"Romantic getaway?" Zelda poked her head out of her massive closet, a sweater clutched in her hands. "It's camping, Ruto. It's bugs and dirt and tents and, and did I mention the bugs? There's nothing romantic about it!"

Pulling her legs up against her chest, Ruto looped her arms around her knees. "Oh, I don't know if I'd say that. It's also sitting alone around a campfire, frolicking in the lake, and you'll get to watch Link chop wood." She sighed and tilted her head back. "That man looks fabulous without a shirt on."

"And when have you seen Link without his shirt on?"

Ruto laughed. "He's my sister's husband's best friend. Link was always with Mikau whenever we all went away to our parent's cabin at Lake Hylia. We would go swimming together, silly."

"Huh." Zelda commented a minute later.

Catching the look on her face, Ruto frowned. "Hey, you're still not mad that I didn't tell you I knew Link, are you? He was the best friend of my older sister's boyfriend…"

"No, I'm not mad." Shaking her head, Zelda shot her friend a rueful smile. "I'm just amazed Link never came up in conversation if he's as dreamy without his shirt on as you've been saying."

"Oh, about that." Ruto laughed nervously. "I sort of was a bit possessive of Link back then. I had a huge crush on him and wanted to keep him all to myself." Blushing embarrassingly, she rubbed the back of her neck. "I had this stupid idea that if he didn't see any other girls than he'd have to fall in love with me."

Zelda walked out of her closet again, a concerned look on her face. "You…like Link?"

"What?" Ruto's eyes widened and she burst out laughing. "Oh goodness no, not anymore. Link was very nice about it and he let me down easy."

"When was this?" Zelda tilted her head, Ruto had gone strangely quiet and her laughter was beginning to sound a bit forced.

"A long time ago." Ruto answered quietly before forcing a smile to her face. "Enough about me though! We need to get you ready for this camping trip! When was Link picking you up again?"

She suspected Ruto was lying about how long ago this was, but she let it go. If Ruto didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't force her. At least that was what Zelda told herself, but she suspected her own reasons for not pressing Ruto were a bit more selfish than what she was willing to admit to herself.

"He said he'd be here around one." She checked her alarm clock for the time.

It was only ten, lots of time to finish packing. She returned to her closet to look for her elusive sleeping bag. She was sure she had one…she just wanted sure where she'd stored it.

"Hey, how'd your visit with Hilda go? You never did tell me what her big news was."

"Big news?" It took a minute for Zelda to realize what Ruto was talking about. "Oh, she just wanted to introduce me to her boyfriend. It was a meet-the-family kind of thing. He's actually Link's cousin."

"His cousin?" Jumping up from the bed, Ruto began to fold the clothes Zelda had randomly tossed onto it earlier. "Are you talking about Ravio?"

"You know him?"

Ruto held up one of Zelda's sweaters and wrinkled her nose. "Not really. I've heard Link talk about him to Mikau." Folding the sweater, she added it to the growing pile on Zelda's bed. "It's never been anything flattering if that's what you're asking."

"Eh, it doesn't matter." Zelda brushed off Ruto's comment and finally spotted her sleeping bag on the top shelf of her closet. She already had an idea of Link's feelings towards his cousin from working so closely with him these last few days.

"So you're ok with Hilda seeing him?"

Zelda's laugh came out as a harsh bark. "You make it sound like I would have a say if I didn't. Hilda's too pig-headed to hear me out even if I did have an opinion worth voicing to her about Ravio."

"Well, that seems a little harsh." Ruto glanced worriedly at Zelda's closet and eyed the way the girl was precariously reaching towards the pile of stuff shoved onto the top shelf. "Do…you need help?"

Her fingers latched onto the slippery fabric of her sleeping bag and gave a triumphant tug to free it from the tangle of blankets. "Nope! I got…" Her eyes widened as everything on the shelf slowly teetered towards her. "Umm…" Releasing the sleeping bag, she just barely got her arms over her head in time to shield herself from the cascade of random articles that used to be on her top shelf.

Ruto rushed over to the closet. "Are you ok?"

Blinking, Zelda glanced down at her feet. "I think so…" She kicked a little at the blankets before she spotted her buried sleeping bag. "Ah ha!" Grabbing the item, she held it up triumphantly. "I found it!"

"All of that? For a sleeping bag?" Ruto stared at her friend in disbelief. "You should have asked for—" She paused when there was a knock at the door.

They exchanged looks before leaving Zelda's bedroom.

"Were you expecting someone else this morning?"

Zelda shook her head. It was still too early for it to be Link and the only one she'd asked to help her pack was Ruto. She'd talked to Anju on the phone earlier and had arranged to take the next four days off. She and Link had decided they would look for the Deku tree for three days. If they didn't find anything, they would come back and plan a different approach to finding the forest spirit.

She opened the door to a beautiful Gerudo woman with half her hair dyed a brilliant blue. Using her body to block the door, Zelda eyed the woman suspiciously. "Can I help you?"

The woman smiled kindly and stuck out her hand. "We haven't formally met but I work at the Silver Rupee with Link. My name's Rova."

At the mention of Link's night club, Zelda visibly relaxed and opened the door wider. "It's nice to meet you Rova, this is Ruto."

Glancing past Zelda's shoulder, Rova waved to Ruto. "I take it by your surprise Link didn't tell you I was popping over?"

"Ah." Zelda exchanged a confused look with Ruto before answering. "No, he didn't…should I call him?"

"Oh?" Rova laughed and dismissively waved her hand. "Please don't bother him on my account. He was pretty busy with arranging things for his upcoming absence. It's why he asked me to come over. I'm supposed to drive you to the Silver Rupee."

"Drive me?" Zelda made a point of leaning back to check the clock hanging on the wall in the living room. It was only 10:45. "You're a few hours too early then."

"Really?" Rova's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I could have sworn Link said to come get you around eleven. If you're not ready, I can come back or," she smiled, "I could help you?"

Well, it wasn't the worst idea she'd ever heard. She gave Ruto a sideways glance. The Zora shrugged back to wordlessly say it didn't matter to her if Rova gave them a hand. Turning back to the Gerudo, Zelda hesitated.

Her gut was telling her to not let the woman in but she couldn't pin point why. She'd never met Rova before but that wasn't exactly unusual. She knew Link had a lot of staff working for him and she knew she hadn't met all of them but there was something about Rova that rubbed her the wrong way. Was it because she'd told her not to call Link? Link probably was busy making arrangements with Nabooru but he wouldn't have planned to come get her if he didn't think he could make it. At the very least he would have messaged her or called her to let her know their plans had changed.

Her phone had been silent all morning. Something wasn't adding up.

Unfortunately, she couldn't think of what that something could be and she really had no reason to not let Rova in. She started to open the door wider for Rova when an angry male voice broke the awkward silence.

"What the hell are you doing here Rova?" Ravio strode purposefully down Zelda's short walk and forcefully pulled the Gerudo back.

"Ravio." Rova purred and plucked his hand off her arm. "I didn't realize you were still in town. How…unfortunate." Her amber eyes rolled over to Zelda. "I was just offering to help your cousin's little girlfriend with her packing. Did you know they were planning a trip to…goodness I don't think Link said! Where were you going again, my dear?"

Zelda eyed Rova and Ravio uncertainly. "Um, we were going camping…"

"Don't finish that sentence Zelda." Ravio bit out angrily. "She doesn't really work for Link. She's lying."

"W-what?" Zelda's shoulders tensed and she felt, more than saw, Ruto sidle in closer to her. "What do you mean she doesn't work for Link?"

"Now Ravio, must you ruin my fun?" Rova pouted and crossed her arms.

"Leave Rova." Ravio stepped around the Gerudo woman and firmly placed himself between Zelda and Rova. "Go back to your employer and tell him that I am on it. I don't need nor want any of your interference. And stay the hell away from mine and Hilda's family!"

Zelda blinked. In that moment, Ravio truly resembled Link with the way anger seeped into every word. She could tell by the way he held himself, he was geared up for a fight and looking for an excuse to lash out.

Rova sighed and held up her hands in defeat. "Fine, fine, I'll withdraw." Her mouth curled into a sinister smile. "For now, that is."

* * *

Ravio's heart was pounding in his chest. He'd only meant to check up on Zelda. Link was occupied at the club and he'd decided to swing by Zelda's place. He was glad he'd followed the impulse. He had no idea what Rova had been planning and frankly, had no desire to find out. He was just glad he'd left Hilda behind.

He'd left her at the little house he was renting on the outskirts of the city. As a wolf, she hated the recon work he did every day. He always spent his morning checking up on their family. He couldn't exactly bring a wolf around with him and Hilda hated being confined to his car. Someone was bound to recognize Hilda wasn't a dog. So, while he was checking on their family, she was roaming the countryside or lazing about in his living room.

"Wh-where's Hilda, Ravio?"

Zelda's quiet question pulled his attention. Ruto was still standing behind her with a terribly confused face. Ravio grimaced. How should he answer her question?

"Is-is she still…with you?"

A black eyebrow winged up at her question. With him? What did she mean by that? She gave him a pointed glare. Oh, she was trying to be discreet.

"Ya, she's still with me. We…uh just decided we wanted our privacy so we rented a small place for the duration of our time here." Ravio broke off. Was that sufficiently vague enough? Would she leave it at that or would she want more of an explanation.

"Fine. Will you be joining our camping trip?"

Ruto's mouth fell open. "What! No, Zelda! This is supposed to be a romantic getaway for you and Link! How will having his cousin and your sister there be romantic?!"

Romantic getaway? Who would consider camping romantic? Ravio turned up his nose at the thought. Certainly not Hilda, that's for sure. She'd be whining about the bugs the entire time…

"For the last time Ruto, it's not a romantic getaway!" Zelda stomped her foot and turned on her friend. "It's camping! In-in tents!"

"Would you prefer a cabin?" Ruto asked with a roll of her eyes.

Zelda groaned and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Not the point here."

"Actually, it kind of is." Ruto smartly replied. "Oh my goddesses! That's it isn't it! You would want a cabin. One of those rustic big ones, right? With the loft where you can watch the sun rise over the mountains from bed…"

"Getting off track here!" Zelda elbowed her friend.

"Did you want me to see if I can find you guys a cabin to rent while you're in Korok Woods?"

"No!" Zelda snapped. "No cabins! This isn't a romantic getaway!" She turned back to Ravio who was standing there with a bewildered look on his face. "What are you and Hilda planning next Ravio? You're welcome to join us. Your knowledge would probably be a huge help and," She quickly glanced at Ruto before adding, "We can talk about what's been happening."

Ravio swallowed and mentally ran through his choices. Not like he had many to consider. He'd already decided that searching the woods was next after his search of the ruins turned up nothing. He hadn't decided on which forest he was going to look in but the Korok Woods were as good a place as any and it bothered him that he'd caught Rova here. He didn't want Link or Zelda getting tangled in this any further but it appeared they'd already been drawn in pretty deep.

If he were with them, he could keep an easier eye on the pair and hopefully keep Rova and anyone else at bay as well.

"We'll meet you there. When were you and Link heading out?"


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hi guys, I'm so sorry that this is pretty much a week late. I still plan to post again this weekend like I usually do. So please expect another chapter this weekend (most likely Sunday).**

* * *

Link sent Zelda a sideways glance while he pulled their bags from the back of his car. "Ravio really said he'd be here?"

Taking her pack from him, Zelda nodded. "It's what he said, although he didn't specify where or when he'd be meeting us."

He rolled his eyes and shouldered his own bag. That certainly was Ravio to a tee. The guy could never commit to an appointed time. "So what do you want to do then? Wait for him to show up or start look?"

Twisting around on the spot, Zelda eyed the trees and undergrowth of the vast forest they were standing on the edge of. "I'd rather start looking than wait for Ravio and Hilda to show up. Why waste a day waiting on them?"

He had to agree with her. Ravio was, despite appearances, an experienced tracker. He'd be able to find them, and Link knew how to leave subtle clues for him to follow. He was really concerned about the mysterious Rova who'd shown up on Zelda's doorstep. He hadn't been exactly surprised to hear that Ravio had been keeping tabs on them. Finding that whatever Ravio was entangled in had involved Zelda was a completely different matter. He was still on the fence about whether he would greet his cousin when he saw Ravio, or punch him for getting Zelda and her sister tangled up in whatever mess he'd gotten himself into.

He tossed the tent to the ground beside their small cooler of food and their jug of water. "Well, where should we start looking first?"

Tucking her hair through the loop of her ball cap, Zelda dropped her bag by her feet and rummaged through it for their map. "I was thinking we could trek to Hestu's Glade. The Glade is near Kokiri River and should make a good base for us. We can strike out in a new direction each day to search for the Deku Tree."

* * *

Several hours later there was still no sign of Ravio and their camp was set up. Link wiped the sweat from his brow and squinted up at the sun. Not that he could tell the time based on the length of shadows or anything. No, he relied on his watch for that. A rustle of cloth had him turning around to watch Zelda carefully step her way out of their shared tent.

Zipping up the protective bug screen, she dusted her pants off and straightened. "Well everything is all set." She checked her watch. "We have quite a bit of daylight left. Should we strike out and see if we can stumble across the Deku Tree?"

He chuckled at the way she worded their goal. Frankly, that was exactly how it would happen since they were basically picking a direction to go and hoping for the best. He'd done a few searches once he'd gotten home but had found nothing online except a bunch of myths. He'd read a few but wasn't sure if he could rely on anything he'd read. When he'd heard Ravio was going to join them, he'd secretly hoped his cousin would have an idea of where to look. So much for that idea.

"Why don't we head towards the river?" Link moved to where he'd left his fishing gear. "I can catch us something for supper, so the trip won't be a complete waste."

Zelda wrinkled her nose. "Fish, huh? I was hoping we could skip that standard staple of camping."

He grinned and handed the tackle box to her. "What? Don't like fish?"

"Ummm." Zelda hesitantly took the suspiciously small box from him. "I don't not, not like fish…I just don't like the idea of looking for…bait."

"Not a fan of worms, huh?" He didn't bother to tell her that he liked to use lures as opposed to live bait. Watching her squirm was too much fun. "We could always try something else. How do you feel about flies?"

"Flies?" Zelda stared at the box in her hands. "Y-you have…flies trapped in here?"

He hid his smile. "Oh sure, I keep a whole assortment in there depending on what I am hoping to hook. I have flies, worms, minnows, frogs…"

He couldn't keep a straight face after she squealed and dropped the box.

"Frogs! You have FROGS in there?"

Retrieving his poor, abused tackle box, he flipped the catch and lifted the lid to show her the neatly organized lures. "No, princess. I use lures to fish."

She huffed embarrassingly and puffed out her flushed cheeks. "You're a such an ass."

Laughing softly, he closed the lid and handed the box back to her. "Perhaps, but you're also a lot of fun to tease."

* * *

Zelda stood in the shallows of the river with her pant legs rolled up and a fishing rod clutched in her hands. "I don't think I can do this."

Link stood behind her. "You've already done the hard part. You managed to cast without hooking yourself, or me."

"But what if I catch something."

"Isn't that kind of the point?" She didn't need to see him to know he was giving her a weird look.

"But…it's going to be slimy. I don't want to touch it." She turned and shoved the fishing rod at him. "You do it."

"You haven't even gotten a bite yet!" He pushed the rod back. "Worry about getting a bite and reeling it in first. We'll worry about landing it when it happens."

She curled her shoulders up. "Why couldn't you just let me stay on the shore?"

"You were complaining it was taking too long." He walked up beside her and angled her body more towards the river. "Since you insinuated you could do better…"

"Well then I take it back!" She again tried to shove the rod back into his hands. "You fish, I'll sit quietly on the grass. I promise I won't utter another word."

"Too late Princess." Link kept his hands folded behind his head. "You're on fishing duty until you catch something."

"And that's another thing! Why are you suddenly calling me princess?"

"Was I?" Link frowned and angled his head back. "Huh, guess I have been. It just seemed to fit, I guess. I can stop if you want."

She shook her head. Honestly, she didn't mind his new nickname. The timing was odd, that was all. They were in the forest, looking for a spirit who could direct them to a sword that was used by an ancient hero who'd used the sword to protect his Princess. Hilda had already commented once to her that she and Link bore the same names of those from legend. If she heard him call her Princess…She'd never hear the end of it. Well, that is, if her sister wasn't still a wolf.

"Do you think we should try to catch enough to feed Ravio and Hilda?"

"We'll worry about catching enough to feed ourselves. If those two show up, they can figure out what to eat on their own."

She turned to him. "Isn't that a bit harsh?"

He shrugged in reply. "Well, next time he can tell us when he'll show up and we'll have meals prepared for them."

She supposed he had a point. She didn't have to like it though. Shifting her attention back to the river, a flash of movement caught her eye. Scanning the river bank across from them, she tried to catch whatever had gotten her attention but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Mentally shrugging to herself, she settled her gaze on the tip of her fishing rod.

Despite Link's assurances, she was kind of hoping they didn't catch anything. She would rather eat the hotdogs they'd packed for the trip. At least hotdogs didn't not require cleaning and descaling…In fact, they'd been at this for over an hour. She checked her watch. They should really get back to the campsite to start their cooking fire and…She yelled when the fishing rod was nearly pulled from her hands.

Link's arms instantly closed around her, and his hands covered her own before she lost her grip. "You got a bite!"

She wailed and tried to pull her hands free. "No, I don't want to…"

"Reel it in!"

She shot him a glare, he was totally ignoring her. "I don't to have to clean a slimy fish!"

"I'll clean it, just worry about reeling it in." He shot back while he retreated to the shore to grab their fishing net.

* * *

Rova pulled down her visor and checked her makeup. Grabbing her compact, she touched herself up before sliding the visor back up to glance at the house she was parked across from. Drumming her hands against the steering wheel, she glanced in the review mirror to make sure no one was coming up behind her.

Her boss was not happy that Ravio had interrupted her with the cute little blonde. Her employer was getting impatient and had instructed her to find out how far along Ravio was in finding the sword. Since Ravio had gone AWOL, his girlfriend's sister had seemed to be the next logical step. Well, either her or Ravio's cousin.

She'd decided on trying to get answers from the sister before attempting to crack the cousin. She preferred her victims weak, and unable to fight back. The cousin didn't fit that criteria. The sister had been obvious choice and she would have gotten her answers if Ravio hadn't shown up. Who'd have thought Ravio would feel obligated to protect a woman who was little more than a stranger to him. His attachment was intriguing and why she was about to walk up to the front door. She wasn't above fighting dirty and she figured this was an opportunity too good to pass up.

Her mouth curled into a seductive grin as she stepped outside of her car and smoothed her short skirt down. Fluffing her hair and giving herself one last check in her side mirror, she crossed the street with a confident swagger. She'd had to hunt a bit for the address but had lucked out when she ran into a kind woman who, not only pointed her in the right direction but had invited her over for coffee as well.

Knocking on the door, she tapped her foot impatiently. She could hear obvious movement inside and, she angled her head with her ear facing the door, she could hear talking too.

The door opened and Nayru gave her a wide smile. "Rova! Did you have any trouble finding the place?"

"Not at all, your directions were easy to follow."

Nodding to herself, Nayru opened the door wider. "Well, come in. I told Ralph about you. He's waiting in the living room. You'll have to excuse his appearance though. He recently had a run in with a bunch of Zelda's old friends who…weren't all too friendly with him."

Rova lifted an eyebrow. Not too friendly? Well, she supposed that was a nice way of saying they kicked Ralph's ass. She'd watched Ralph's last interaction with Ravio's cousin from the safety of the shadows. The sister's ex was quite persistent in his pursuit of getting his girlfriend back. Most men would have given up by now. You couldn't help but admire his stubbornness.

"Ralph, it's a pleasure to meet you." She kept her smile fixed in place as she greeted the heavily bandaged man. Thankfully it didn't appear as if he'd broken anything. Which was good, he wouldn't have been at all useful to her if he'd had a cast.

Ralph eyed her shrewdly. His gaze easily sliding over her curves and half-colored hair. "I'm sorry, Nayru told me that you know me, but I don't recognize you."

"Oh?" Sitting herself down in an arm chair facing the couch Ralph was propped on, she carefully crossed her legs. As she'd planned, Ralph's eyes instantly dropped to watch the action. She hid her smile. "Well, I would have to say you're correct. That was just a story I told her to get your address."

"Uh huh." His gaze slid from her shapely legs and he met her eyes. "So, why don't you tell me the real reason why you wanted to meet with me."

"Right to the point. I can respect that."

"Oh, it's so nice to meet one of Ralph's old college friends!" Nayru gushed suddenly coming in with a tray carrying three glasses of lemonade. "I hardly get to meet any of Ralph's old friends."

Rova frowned, her lips pursing slightly as she watched Nayru flit about the room. Ralph looked annoyed, but the blue-haired girl wasn't fooling her. Nayru must have heard Ralph's earlier comment about not knowing her. The girl was giving off nervous energy but why?

Plucking up her glass, she took a quiet sip as she studied Nayru over the rim. From her research she knew that Ralph and Nayru were in an open relationship. Nayru had no problem with Ralph's multiple girlfriends. Despite what Nayru's friends thought, she was not as innocent or as naïve as she would have them believe. Ralph wasn't her only boyfriend and Rova would bet even Ralph wasn't aware of it. She also knew that Ralph and Nayru had been fighting a lot and all of it had to do with Zelda. Nayru wanted him to back off. Ralph wouldn't hear of it and his obsession with the blonde was starting to send up red flags for Nayru. Was that the cause for Nayru's anxiety? Had she already guessed why Rova was there?

Her eyes narrowed. No, there had to be more to Nayru's anxiety. None of her notes indicated that Ralph was treating her the same way he'd treated Zelda but, things could have changed in the last few days. She ran a critical eye over Nayru but could detect any hints of injury. Nayru was moving stiffly but it didn't look like she was injured. So, what was she nervous about?

Ralph picked up his own glass and stared at the liquid swirling inside. "Nayru…"

Forcing a smile, she sat beside him. "Is it not sweet enough Ralph? I can go add more sugar…"

"NO!" He yanked the glass out of her reach and she gave him a hurt look. Grimacing, he carefully set his glass back on the coffee table. "Why don't you go visit your sisters? Farore and Din have been asking you over for a while now…"

Nayru drew away, her smile instantly falling. "You really want me to go?"

Rova continued to drink quietly. Her eyebrows lifted in interest. She didn't think Nayru was talking about leaving for a short visit.

"Nayru…"

"No Ralph." Nayru firmly interrupted, her hands clenched in her lap. "I told you. I won't idly stand by while you throw your life away obsessing over Zelda. What is it about her that you just can't let go? You became a different person when you started seeing her. I'd hoped you'd go back to the way you were when she broke up with you but if anything, it's gotten worse."

Well, this was more interesting than a TV soap. Rova eyed the tense couple. Nayru had guessed why Rova was there, even if Ralph hadn't. No surprise there, she could sense the aura of a goddess about Nayru. The girl had probably gone through life always having a second sense about people's intentions. If Nayru was truly hinting at leaving, this could work in Rova's favor. Re-crossing her legs, she sat back and waited to see what would happen.

Ralph stared dejectedly at his glass. Nayru's mouth thinned when she realized he wasn't going to reply. "Fine." She stood up and headed for the front door. "I'm through watching you destroy yourself Ralph. I'll stop by in a couple of days with Vaati to get the rest of my stuff."

Vaati huh? Rova traced Nayru's movements with her eyes. Before she left though, Nayru glared at her. "And you. You meddle in affairs that were best left dormant. You best tell your employer that before you go hunting a sword that should stay lost to the times."

Rova's eyes widened in surprise. She certainly hadn't been expecting the warning. There was no doubt, the girl was the reincarnate of a Goddess. Question was, was Nayru the reincarnation of her namesake…or something else?


	23. Chapter 23

Link groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face. Goddesses what he wouldn't give for a couple more hours of sleep. Dropping his hands to his lap, he looked at the rumpled sleeping bag on the other side of the tent. He shouldn't be surprised that Zelda was already up. He knew she sometimes went into the Inn early to bake bread and whatever else she planned as treats for their guests. Sighing, he flopped back onto his back. He just didn't think she'd be up with the sun and the blasted birds. Not for the first time he cursed himself for being such a light sleeper. For someone who enjoyed sleeping in, it made no sense to him, but he'd always been like this. Huffing another sigh, he pulled himself free of his own sleeping bag. No point in trying to sleep any longer. He was awake, might as well get up.

The first thing he noticed when he stepped outside of the tent? No Zelda. He frowned and made a complete circle around their small campsite just to be sure. She couldn't have gone far. There was a pot of coffee happily percolating away on their small camp stove. He eyed the pot with interest and wondered if it was close to being done. He could definitely go for a cup of coffee before they started their search.

"Link! You're awake!" Zelda stepped out from the brush with a towel flung over her shoulder and carrying a cup with her toothbrush and toothpaste. "I hope I didn't wake you?"

"Nah, the birds did. Is this done?" He pointed at the pot. He was practically salivating at the idea of a fresh cup of coffee now.

"The coffee?" She checked her watch and nodded. "Ya, it should be."

"Excellent." He grabbed one of the cups she'd left out earlier. "So which direction should we take today?"

Stretching her towel over their makeshift clothesline, she paused and looked back at him. "North?"

Settling down on a log with his precious coffee, he took a sip before answering. "Sure. We should pack a lunch too –"

"Hilda, no! Get back here!"

Ravio's frantic voice interrupted them and a large wolf bounding towards Zelda had Link scrambling to his feet to intercept the beast. Coffee sloshed over his hand and he yelped as he abruptly dropped his cup. That decided it, he was greeting his goddess-damned cousin with a fist…just as soon as he made sure that wolf wasn't going to hurt Zelda.

* * *

"Hilda, no! Get back here!"

That had been the only warning Zelda had before a wolf came barreling into her. Somewhere in the background she heard Link yelp and Ravio shouted again but their voices were distant. All she could focus on was the wiggling, furry body in her arms and the large rough tongue licking her face repeatedly. Giggling helplessly, she struggled under the weight of a full-grown wolf trying to snuggle on her lap like a puppy.

"I'm sorry, Zelda." Strong arms wrapped around the wolf and lifted the animal away. "She's been acting like an excited puppy every since I told her you believed…" Ravio broke off, a faint blush coloring his face. "Goddesses, please tell me you believe, and I didn't misunderstand you earlier."

She wiped the wolf slobber off with her sleeve. "It's ok Ravio, you didn't misunderstand."

"Oh, thank the goddesses." His shoulders sagged in relief.

"Ravio, you idiot!" Stomping over to them, Link roughly yanked his cousin to his feet. "You couldn't have controlled her a bit better? You made me spill my coffee! My. Coffee. Ravio!"

Zelda snorted back her laughter at his distress. Link, apparently, wasn't a morning person. "Oh, don't be a baby, Link. I can pour you another cup."

"But…I wanted to hit him." Link whined but released Ravio. He glared at his cousin, completely ignoring the growling wolf who was trying to get around Ravio.

"And what would that solve? Your coffee is still soaking the ground." Sidestepping around Ravio and Hilda, she took Link's hand and led him back over to where Link had left the coffee pot.

"It would make me feel better?"

It came out as a question. At least he didn't seem angry at Ravio anymore. She poured him a new cup of coffee and pressed it into his hands. He accepted the it, but his focus was on her, not the cup.

Behind them, Ravio coughed discreetly. "Um, should we maybe come back?"

Growling lowly, Link turned on his cousin. "Don't push it."

Giving Link's arm a squeeze, Zelda walked back to where Ravio and Hilda were. "So where were you two? We were expecting you yesterday."

Smiling sheepishly, Ravio rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that. I had some stuff to take care of before I left Castle Town. It took me longer than I'd expected."

Link snorted, and Zelda shot him a warning look. They needed Ravio and Hilda's help. With them here they'd be able to cover more ground. She didn't want Link's attitude to drive them away but at the same time. His reaction raised a valid point. Could they trust Ravio and Hilda?

"Look, I get it." Ravio suddenly spoke up as if sensing what his cousin wasn't saying. "I haven't exactly been forthcoming in the past. I don't blame either of you for not trusting me…"

"You don't blame us?" Link snarled and shoved his cup into Zelda's hands. "That's just rich coming from you. So, what? You plan to act all high and mighty? Tell us you had our best interests at heart? That you didn't mean to get Hilda turned into a goddess-damned wolf?"

"I know I screwed up…"

"That's putting it lightly." Link bit out angrily. "Tell us the truth here Ravio. What have you gotten us involved in? Who the hell is Rova and who are you working for?"

"I…" Ravio raked a hand through his hair and glanced uncertainly at Hilda. "Honestly, the less you know the better…"

"The better? For who?" Link grabbed his cousin by his shirt collar. "For you? For your conscience?"

Hilda growled and shoved herself between the two cousins while Zelda set down Link's cup so that she could wrap her arms around Link to hold him back.

"Getting angry at him isn't solving anything Link." She glanced at Ravio. "And you with-holding answers is how we got in this mess. We admit we should have believed you about Hilda, Ravio but you must meet us half way here. Who are you getting the Master Sword for? Do they think it's just an old relic or are they like you? Do they actually believe in the Sword's mythical powers from the fairy tales?"

"I –" Ravio groaned. "Look, I don't know, ok? I thought my client wanted the sword because of it's historical reference. I didn't even believe in magic until Hilda was turned into a wolf."

"So, which do you think it is Ravio?" Zelda lifted an eyebrow. "Does your client want the sword or the magic the sword might have?"

"I…think he wants the magic." Ravio sighed. "There are some really weird rumors floating around about this guy. Stuff to do with rituals and…and…I really don't want to repeat the stuff I've heard."

"Then who is Rova? Can you at least tell us that much?" Link asked sarcastically.

Zelda cringed. She didn't know Ravio well, but it was blaringly obvious that Link wasn't buying his cousin's half answers. At this rate Link would be telling Ravio to leave and she still wasn't convinced that would be the best plan. Ravio had taken Hilda's research. She secretly hoped Ravio had Hilda's notes here. He'd taken them for a reason and she could only assume that reason was because her notes would point them in the direction of the Deku Tree. They needed something more to go on than some ancient Sheikah's riddle.

"Rova works for my client. She wanted to how close I was to finding the sword." Ravio worriedly glanced down at Hilda. "She, uh, thought she could get answers from Zelda."

At his feet, Hilda perked up and her ears flicked in his direction. The look on the wolf's face was utter surprise. Apparently, Ravio hadn't told her about Rova's visit to Zelda's home.

"And what would she have done to get answers, Ravio?" Link's voice had become deceptively calm.

"Um…" Ravio helplessly looked to Hilda but she couldn't help him. She was a wolf and right now she was growling lowly…at him. She'd obviously realized what Link was suggesting and wasn't happy either. "I…have only heard rumors of what Rova does to get answers."

"Fair enough." Link crossed his arms. "So, tell me the rumors. I imagine they'll give us a clear idea of what could have happened to Ruto and Zelda."

"I…" Now panicked, Ravio met her eyes. "I really don't want to repeat the rumors."

Link's face hardened and a chill ran down her spine. "That bad huh?"

"Look, I never thought she would go after Zelda! She threatened you and Aryll, not—" Ravio's eyes widened when he realized his slip.

"Aryll?" Link's color drained from his face before it was replaced by absolute rage. "You…she threatened…YOU SONOVABITCH!" He was at a loss for words and, instead, lunged at Ravio. "SHE THREATENED ARYLL AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL ME?"

"L-look, I took care of it ok?" Ravio's choked as Link's hands locked around his throat. "I swear, she's safe! It-it's why we are so late! I couldn't leave without making sure Aryll was protected –"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME!" Link roared, completely ignoring Ravio's pleas. "Instead my sister has no idea that you've once again involved her in –"

"Nabooru and Darunia are looking out for her!" Ravio blurted out while struggling to break Link's grip around his neck. "I swear, I never meant to involve any of you –"

Shaking herself into action, Zelda clung to Link's back. "Link, you need to calm down. Strangling him isn't going to—"

Link released Ravio. He was still visibly seething but at least he seemed to have calmed down enough to heed her words. Sucking in a deep breath, she pressed her forehead into his back. "I get you're worried Link. I would be too. Actually, I am worried. Ruto was there with me. Rova could easily decide to go after her if she feels Aryll isn't an easy target. Maybe we should abandon this crazy idea of finding the sword and just head home. We can shore up our defenses…"

"No." Link snarled through clenched teeth. "We get the accursed blade this asshole wants so badly before someone gets killed. He should back off once he has it, right Ravio?"

"I…yeah." Ravio rubbed at his neck. "He should. It's what he wants." Catching Hilda staring at him, he offered her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Hilda. I should have—"

Flicking her tail, she turned away from him and plunked down between Link and Zelda. Hesitantly, Zelda rubbed her sister's ears. Hilda was obviously angry and hurt that Ravio had hid this information from her. Unfortunately, she had no advice to offer and didn't believe it was her place to do so. This was something Ravio and Hilda would have to figure out once she was Hylian again and they could talk it out.

She sighed, best not to dwell on it. At least they knew about the danger, but it also meant her original plan would have to change. There was no way that Link would trust Ravio enough to split up now. They would have to search together…or not at all.

* * *

"So, uh what's the plan?"

Link mutinously glared at his cousin. "We're going to look in the forest." He grunted painfully when Zelda elbowed him. "What? It's the truth! We're going to look in the forest."

"Don't be an ass." She chided softly. "You have every right to be angry, but we need his help."

He hated that she was right.

"We found a clue at the castle ruins that pointed us towards the forest as the next step in searching for the sword."

He gave her a surprised look. Wasn't she going to tell them about Impa? Meeting his eyes, she silently warned him to keep quiet. She didn't need to warn him twice. The less Ravio knew about what had really happened at the ruins, the better. Knowing his cousin, he would just find a way to exploit the old shrine for a quick rupee.

"I know there's a few tales that talk about the sword being in a forest…but are you sure it's this forest?"

"Well, that's just it. We need Hilda's notes because we aren't sure this is the right forest."

"Hilda's…notes?" Ravio grimaced and exchanged a look with Hilda. "I, uh, don't suppose we could figure this out without them, could we?"

"Well, I suppose we could." Zelda gave Ravio a puzzled look. "But the notes might save us some time."

"Well, I don't have them…"

"Where are they then?"

Again, Ravio dodged the question and Link frowned. Why was he avoiding answering her? It was almost like he didn't have…he left the thought unfinished. Were the notes…gone? His eyes narrowed as he studied his cousin. Ravio was hiding something, something that he didn't want to admit to them.

"What did you do?" Link's question caused Ravio to guiltily look away. "Let me guess, you destroyed them?"

Ravio's mouth tightened into a thin line. It was all the answer he needed.

"Why exactly do we need him here again?" He exploded again, thrusting a hand in Ravio's direction.

Sighing tiredly, Zelda rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm not sure how to answer that, Link but the four of us have a better chance of finding the sword…"

"You're suggesting splitting up? Now?" He stared incredulously at her. She couldn't be serious. "How the hell can you even trust him?"

"I don't!" She shot back, dropped her hand to her side. "I just don't see how we're going to search an entire forest in four days if we all stay together!"

"We are not splitting up." He said stubbornly crossing his arms. "We either all stay together, or we abandoned this idea right now because there is no way I'm letting you out of my sight when there's a deranged woman after you."

"I doubt Rova is way out here." Ravio piped up. "The forest really isn't her thing…"

"Oh, you can say that for certain when all you have are rumors to go by?" He snarled sarcastically. "I'm not taking chances. We are sticking together."

"Alright." Zelda went back to her bag to get her map. "We'll leave in about half an hour then. We'll head North like we planned, and we'll take lunch with us. We'll take a lunch so that we can continue searching into the afternoon before turning back and returning here."


	24. Chapter 24

He was paranoid. Link knew this but found he was helpless to stop himself. It was entirely Ravio's fault and no one was blaming him for his over-bearing attitude (thankfully) but at this rate, they were going to leave him behind buried under some rock if he didn't watch himself.

They'd stopped for lunch but there wasn't much eating happening. No one seemed to have an appetite and was passing the time picking at the sandwiches Zelda had handed out. Hilda had wandered off on her own. Ravio had said something about the wolf taking care of herself but Link was mostly ignoring him. His cold shoulder towards Ravio was actually the problem.

Communication was strained and they'd spent most of the morning walking in silence. Zelda had attempted a few times to lighten the mood but had given up fairly quickly when her attempts were met with cold silence from both cousins. He'd faintly heard her mumble something about 'stubborn children' but hadn't caught the whole thing. Not that it mattered. He was pretty sure the extent of what she'd said had been somewhere along the lines of them acting like stubborn children.

He wished he could say she was wrong but even he was beginning to recognize that one of them was going to have to be the bigger person and speak first. He'd prefer if it wasn't him but Ravio could rival him for stubbornness. He knew damn well that Ravio felt he hadn't done anything wrong. In his mind, he'd taken care of Aryll. He'd arranged for someone to look after her and it was because of this that he didn't think he'd miss-stepped by not telling Link. Link hated his logic but unfortunately, Link was well acquainted with Ravio's way of thinking. Given the choice again, Ravio would do the exact same thing. He would handle the situation himself and, again, forget to tell Link that his sister was in the cross-hairs.

Dealing with his cousin could be so tiring.

He sighed, catching Zelda's attention. She gave him a questioning look and quietly nibbled on her sandwich. Shaking his head ruefully, he handed his sandwich to her. She took it with a frown but remained silent when he signalled he'd be back.

* * *

Rova growled and shook the dirt out of her boot. "Ugh, why the hell are they in this stupid forest anyway?" Sitting down on a rock, she shoved her foot back into her boot and began to re-tie it. "There is nothing out here but trees, rocks, dirt, and more trees!" Irritated beyond belief, she suddenly smacked the mosquito that had dared to land on her. "AND BUGS! There are bugs crawling literally EVERYWHERE!"

"It's a forest." Ralph said dryly. "Last time I checked, forests have trees, rocks, dirt, and bugs."

Glaring back at him, she stood up and attempted to wipe her pants clean of the dirt that was stubbornly sticking to them. "No one told me I'd be traipsing through a goddess-damned forest when I signed up for this job!"

"I could tell." Ralph rolled his eyes. "You would have walked in here wearing your heels if I hadn't suggested we stop for gear."

"No one asked you!" Rova snarled back. She hated that he was right. She'd been completely unprepared for an impromptu trip into the woods.

She'd been sorely tempted to finish the job by strangling Ralph with one of his bandages when the asshole wouldn't stop laughing at her. She'd been entirely too reliant on him so far during their little agreement. He was supposed to rely on her. Instead, she'd needed him to outfit her for a foray into the wilderness. When she caught up with Link and Zelda, she would make them pay for making her look like an idiot. She'd promised Ralph that Zelda would be his but she didn't say specifically when she would deliver his precious little ex to him. No, the quickest way to bring Link to his knees was through the pretty little blonde. Men were easy to deal with once they were broken. They were always willing to do anything if it meant saving the one they cared about and Link would be no different. She'd already seen that he liked to think of himself as a hero. She would exploit that and use him to find Ravio and the sword.

"Well we've been walking for hours and haven't even come across their campsite yet." Ralph plopped down on the rock she'd been sitting on. "You sure this is where they are?"

"Yes! My information is not wrong." Rova stomped her foot childishly. "They're here somewhere. Didn't we see Link's car? It's not my fault that you can't follow a simple trail…"

"Well, to be fair, I never said I knew how to track." Unscrewing the cap from his canteen, he took a drink before continuing. "If I recall correctly, I said that Link would probably leave a trail obvious enough for a blind man to follow."

"So where's the blind man?" Rova shot back sarcastically. "Because I'm beginning to think he would have been more helpful to me than you've been."

"Well now, that was just uncalled for." Recapping the canteen, Ralph threw it back into his bag before shouldering the pack again. "I think I've been plenty helpful. I made sure we had the gear we needed to camp out in the woods. I made sure to also get a map, something you didn't think to do and, last I checked, I'm the one carrying our equipment. You barely have enough in your pack to survive an afternoon if I decided to leave you."

Huffing indignantly, she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I can't help it if I have a weak constitution."

"Weak constitution?" Ralph snickered. "Odd, where I'm from, we call it being lazy, but I'm not complaining. I'll carry our stuff even if I'm hurt. I'm just that type of gentleman."

"Gentleman?" Now she did laugh. "I didn't realize the definition included knocking your girl around." She smiled coyly. "Oh right, that was only Zelda. You've never raised a hand to Nayru…have you ever asked yourself why that is?"

"I've never hurt Ambi either." A stunned look came over him. He obviously hadn't meant to admit that he was seeing more than one woman.

"It's ok Ralphie." She condescendingly patted his cheek. "I'm aware of your…love of women but that doesn't answer my question."

"I don't see why it matters." He muttered back and knocked her hand away.

She rolled her eyes. Men were so stupid. Fine, if he didn't want to question it, she wouldn't bother with enlightening him. He probably wouldn't believe her anyway. Although, maybe it was a little cruel to keep the truth from him. At least where Ambi was concerned. She canted her head and toyed with telling him.

Noticing her staring, Ralph glared at her. "What? What are you staring at?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing." Her eyes fell on his pack. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Ya."

Rova fixed a friendly smile on her face. Screw it, he could figure out that Ambi was a distant family relation on his own.

* * *

"Something is spooking Hilda."

Link glanced at the wolf. He didn't see anything outwardly different about her. "How can you tell?"

"Her ears. She's listening to something."

"Well, we are in the forest." Zelda said uncertainly. "Are you sure it's not just the forest she's hearing?"

Ravio shook his head. "She'd be used to the extra sounds by now. She's picking up something else."

"Ok," Link frowned. "But how can you tell it's scaring her?"

"She's tense?" Ravio flushed. "Look, I know it doesn't make sense, but I can tell that something has her worried. Maybe we should take a break and find out what it is she's hearing."

"Take a break?" Link slowly shook his head. "And how do you propose we find whatever she's hearing? It's beyond our range. I don't hear anything out of the ordinary."

"You want her to track it?"

Ravio nodded at Zelda's suggestion. Link still wasn't sure if he liked this idea. Tension within their little group had slowly eased up a bit after he'd spoken with Ravio. However, it didn't mean he was ready to completely trust his cousin. Although, this wasn't really trusting Ravio. It was Hilda who was hearing something weird. Ravio was just interpreting her for them. If she wasn't really hearing anything, she wouldn't wander off just to lead them on a merry old goose chase, would she?

Zelda seemed to have come to the same conclusion. Kneeling in front of her sister, she grabbed the wolf's muzzle to look Hilda in the eyes. "Are your really hearing something Hilda? Or are you just bored?"

Hilda laid her ears against her head and whined. She appeared insulted that Zelda even had to ask her.

"I won't apologize." Zelda said firmly, still holding Hilda's muzzle. "I know how you get when you think you could do better. Now, are you really hearing something out there?"

"She is." A man suddenly stepped out from behind a tree. "She's been hearing me."

"Who the hell are you?" Link instinctively moved in front of Zelda while Hilda placed herself between all of them and this new stranger.

Dark blue eyes danced in amusement. "I can assure you that I mean you no harm."

Link ignored the man. "Ravio, is he anyone you know?"

Ravio shook his head. "I would remember someone with red markings tattooed under his eyes and blue markings tattooed on his forehead."

"No, I wouldn't be anyone Ravio has been formally introduced to." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "However, I do believe you are familiar with my…employer?" He lifted a silver eyebrow. "She can be rather…impulsive when the mood strikes her."

Ravio's eyes narrowed and Link didn't like the look on his cousin's face at all. Ravio had obviously connected the dots and knew who this guy was talking about. Link was afraid he knew the answer too but was secretly hoping he was wrong.

"You work for Midna?"

The man smiled his affirmation and Link grimaced. Damn it all, he'd really wanted to be wrong about this.

"I told Midna she would have the sword…" Ravio began but the man cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Midna really isn't interested in the sword." The man turned his attention to Link and Zelda. "Things have gotten quite complicated. We did not expect you to involve your family. In fact, we really wish you hadn't because their involvement could bring about an event we had hoped to avoid…"

"What event?" Link was tired of stupid riddles and half-truths. First there was the creepy mummified Sheikah and now they had some silver-haired, tattooed person and no one could just straight out say what the hell was going on.

The stranger ignored Link's question. "I am here to take you to Milady. She will break the spell on the wolf so that you may return to your lives. We only ask that you forget about the sword and let it stay sleeping."

"Wait, no!" Ravio protested. "It was Midna who demanded the sword…"

"No, you are mistaken." The man suddenly snarled. "You offered her the sword as fair trade. She never expected you to…"

"We're close then!" Zelda squeezed Link's hand. "Link we must be going in the right direction!"

Which would be great, he thought to himself, but now Midna's henchman was saying she didn't want the sword. She didn't even want them finding it. What was going on? Why was Midna suddenly offering to turn Hilda back without asking for anything in return? It didn't add up. They were missing something.

"What did she not expect Ravio to do?" He squeezed Zelda's hand back and hoped she would let him speak. "You sound like you are well acquainted with Ravio's reputation. So you have to know that he usually comes to me to bail him out of trouble. Why would you think this time would be any different?"

The man's eyes glowed with approval. "Ah, you are a sharp one and I would expect no less from you. Unfortunately, my…Mistress' reasons are her own and I am not privy to her thoughts."

'Privy to her thoughts'? Link frowned, who the hell talked like that anymore? "Look, we just want some answers—"

"Of course." The man answered with an easy smile. "Midna suspected you would want answers and has set up camp not far from here. You are welcome to come and ask your questions…"

"You want us to walk into her camp?" Link raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You can't seriously think we'd be so stupid."

"Well," The man turned his gaze to Ravio. "Perhaps not…all of you."

"Hey!" Ravio protested angrily.

"Ravio," Link hissed in warning. "Not now." Satisfied that Ravio was going to keep his mouth shut, Link turned back to the stranger. "We won't be going to Midna's camp. We're losing daylight and we were planning to head back to our own camp." It was a lie. They'd really planned to search at least another hour but Link was confident no one was going to speak out against his impromptu plan. "If Midna wants to speak with us so badly, she can come to us. If she is freely admitting she doesn't want the sword and wants _us_ to back away, then she can explain it to us in our own territory."

The stranger studied him silently. Again, that odd light of approval was in his blue eyes. It was like he was proud of Link or something. He'd be weirded out by it later. Right now, he had a deal to strike with Midna's henchman.

Finally, the stranger inclined his head. "So be it. I shall return to my Mistress with your terms. I believe she will find them agreeable. She will come to you, as requested, at the hour of twilight."


	25. Chapter 25

Ravio poked at the fire absently before turning his attention back to Link and Zelda. He didn't need to be clairvoyant to see that his cousin was angry. No wonder really, Link had never been one to respond kindly to being told what to do. His brow lifted as he watched Zelda gently touch Link's arm. She leaned closer to say something softly in his ear. He lifted an eyebrow when Link nodded, and Zelda smiled. Ok, so maybe there was an exception to Link's aversion if you had blonde hair and violet eyes. The pair stood up. Zelda jogged to their tent and disappeared inside. Seconds later she reappeared carrying two canteens. Tossing one to Link, Zelda rejoined him and the two disappeared among the trees. No doubt to refill the empty canteens.

He turned back to the crackling fire. He was a little surprised Link would willingly leave camp this close to sunset. Especially with their expected company arriving soon. He glanced up when Hilda sidled up beside him. Resting her head on her paws, she stared into the flames. Not for the first time, Ravio wished she had the ability to speak. He'd give anything to know what she was thinking right now. She had to be excited about turning back into a Hylian. He knew that he was, or at least he will be once he finds out what Midna's conditions are. Thoughts of Midna reminded him of her strange messenger. Those markings on that man's face seemed so familiar. He was positive he'd seen them somewhere else but his mind kept drawing a blank. Heaving another heavy sigh, he looped an arm around Hilda. Maybe he would ask Link about it later.

* * *

"I still think we should go after the sword." Zelda dipped her canteen into the cool water and watched as it began to refill. "Even if Midna turns Hilda back."

Behind her, Link crossed his arms and frowned. "But that guy made it sound like Midna would only turn Hilda back if we left the sword alone. Why would you want to tempt her anger?"

"That Sheikah said the sword is needed again." She drew the canteen out of the water when it wouldn't hold anymore. "We must be really close to finding this forest spirit. I think walking away now would be stupid. We could find the sword and just leave it there. I just feel like it's a good idea to at least know where the sword is." She screwed the cap back onto her canteen. "You know, in case we suddenly need it. Like Impa said."

"What would we need an ancient sword for?"

She paused. He had a point. Their whole reason for even looking for the sword had been to break the spell over Hilda. If Midna was going to do that, what need did they have for the sword?

"Let's…just call it a hunch for now." Turning to him, she smiled. "I just want to look for it. We won't remove it from the forest."

He looked uncertain but he nodded all the same. Zelda's smile grew and she rejoined his side to loop her arm around his. "At any rate we should return to camp before Midna shows up."

Link opened his mouth as if to say more but hesitated, instead he nodded and led the way back. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief, happy that Link was letting it go. She really couldn't explain why she still wanted to go after the sword. All she knew was she felt drawn to it. She wanted, no, she needed to find that sword. She, just had no idea why she felt this urgency.

* * *

Ravio glanced up when Link and Zelda returned. They were both talking quietly and neither seemed to realize they had an audience. If you could call himself and Hilda an audience. Shrugging to himself, Ravio grabbed another log from the neat pile Link had made earlier, and tossed it onto the fire. Midna should be arriving soon. He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the deepening sky.

He wanted Hilda back to normal. He missed talking to her but, how was he going to explain to them that he couldn't give up on finding the sword? He'd been contracted for a job. One that he couldn't just flub off. His client was determined to find that sword. The man who went by the name of 'Demise' wasn't going to abandon his search just because Ravio refused to retrieve the blade. However, before he'd taken this job, he would never have imagined he was looking for a mystical blade. He'd honestly thought this blade was some old ceremonial piece.

So, it begged the question. What could Demise want with a magic blade? If he believed the stories, the blade could only be wielded by the Goddess Hylia's chosen champion. Did Demise think he was this champion? He snorted in amusement. Demise's reputation made him a more likely candidate for the villain, not the hero. He shook his head. Maybe he'd ask Rova if he ran into her again. Maybe she'd have an idea of why her employer wanted the sword?

"Ravio."

He glanced up as Link plopped own beside him.

"What do you know of that guy we saw earlier?" Link didn't look at him as he picked up the stick Ravio had been using earlier to poke at the fire. "I've been going over it in my head and I don't understand why we haven't seen him before now."

Ravio frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's supposed to be Midna's right hand man, isn't he?" Now Link gave him a sideways glance. "At least, that's how he came across to me. So, why haven't we seen him before now?"

Pulling his knees to his chest, Ravio stared thoughtfully into the flames. "I've never had a reason to contact Midna before. I know very little about her organization."

"But you must have heard rumors."

Ravio shook his head. "Not as much as you are probably thinking. Of course I've heard the usual stuff that floats around in the Underground. She's vicious and not one to be trifled with but beyond that, I don't know much."

"My Mistress makes sure that it stays that way." Midna's said, startling both Link and Ravio.

The man was back, his hands clasped behind his back with a stoic expression on his face.

Both Link and Ravio jumped to their feet. Link instantly looked for Zelda, his body tensing when he realized Midna's henchman was between them and her. At his feet, Hilda growled. Ravio dropped a hand to rest on her head. Attacking Midna's man would do nothing but anger her and they were in no position right now to risk such a thing.

"Where's Midna?" Link demanded in way of greeting.

The man inclined his head. "I come with an apology from my Mistress. A…old adversary has entered the forest and she felt it best to deal with this presence before meeting with you. She sends her apologies for the delay."

Ravio winced. That wasn't going to go over well with Link.

"Wonderful, so when will she be here?" Link crossed his arms. Just as Ravio expected, Link looked irritated.

"She will arrive tomorrow, in the morning." Crossing the small campsite, the man settled in front of the fire.

Ravio raised an eyebrow and exchanged a bewildered look with Link. "Um, what are you doing?"

The man turned a bored eye towards them. "I have been instructed to keep watch over you while Midna deals with these unexpected intruders."

Link clenched his fists. "Like hell am I going to let…"

"You have no choice." The man interrupted. Turning back to the fire, he idly added. "Now, go to your Princess as you've been itching to do since I arrived."

Link bit back a snarl, but to Ravio's surprise, did exactly as the man had suggested. Apparently Zelda's safety also outweighed Link's aversion to being told what to do.

* * *

The hairs on the back of Zelda's neck stood on end when she saw the huddled figure sitting by the smoldering remains of their fire the following morning. Clutching her towel tighter to her chest, she glanced over to Link.

"Was he up all night?"

Link poked his head out of their tent. His frown growing when he too spotted the man. "I guess so." He disappeared back inside.

"But, he looks like he hasn't moved…"

From inside the tent, Link snorted. "Who cares? He could have left anytime last night. We weren't making him stay here and we certainly didn't want him here either."

Zelda gave him a slightly scolding look. "Link that isn't nice."

"You're defending Midna's man?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "I just meant his devotion to her is commendable."

Link popped his head out again to give her an incredulous look. "You _are_ defending him!"

"Oh will you stop. He didn't do anything at all to warrant your suspicion."

"Oh, ya, sure. He just works for Midna. That's not suspicious at all." Link groused as he went back inside.

"You're just grumpy that you didn't sleep at all last night." Zelda chided softly and ducked her head inside. "I'm sure Ravio is up. Why don't you try to sleep a bit before Midna arrives?"

Link flushed uncomfortably. No doubt he'd believed she hadn't noticed he'd remained awake throughout the night. She'd actually considered suggesting shifts but had instinctively known there was no way he would ever agree to it. Maybe if he'd been able to speak with Ravio privately they could have set up something, but Midna's man seemed to have uncanny hearing. Throughout the evening he would add random comments to their conversation whenever they believed he was out of earshot. Link wouldn't want to tip off their unwanted guard that he was also keeping watch. It was why she'd kept quiet and hadn't suggested they take shifts.

Blame it on his lack of sleep, but he finally noticed the towel Zelda was holding. "Why do you have that?"

She glanced down at her folded towel. "I wanted to go down to the river and wash up before Midna got here."

Link frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Maybe I should come with you…"

Zelda blushed. "P-pervert! What makes you think I'd let you watch me bathe?"

"W-what?" Link's face grew just as red as hers. "I-I didn't mean I would –I'd turn around and not watch you! I just meant—"

Zelda giggled. "I know, I'm teasing. I'll take Hilda with me. Will that work? A wolf has to be just as good at keeping watch as you, right?"

Still blushing furiously, Link nodded and then drew the covers over his head. "Yes, go! Just, don't leave without Hilda."

Zelda grinned at the flustered man before leaving him to search out her sister.

* * *

Hilda laid her head on her paws, her body laying parallel to the river her sister was currently bathing in. Her ears flicked to take in the sound of splashing water. She would have rather stayed back at camp but had understood Link's concern when Zelda whispered to her that Link didn't want Zelda going to the river alone. Her eyes rolled up to the canopy of the forest. Zelda had promised to make it quick but she was getting impatient. She couldn't blame Zelda for wanting to get cleaned though. She would have been the same way if circumstances were different. As it were, she was a wolf and she saw no need to get her fur wet –wait. What was that?

Perking up, she tilted her nose into the wind and drew in a deep breath. There was someone coming their way. She slowly stood up, her ears swiveling to pick up the faint sounds of footsteps. It wasn't coming from the direction of their camp. She lifted her nose again to try to pick up the scent but the person had moved downwind. She growled softly. It didn't matter. She'd recognized that scent and was slightly amazed that her wolf-brain had catalogued a scent she'd only smelled when she'd been Hylian. Her hackles rose and she dropped to her belly. She was suddenly very glad that Zelda had insisted she come along. She crept into the underbrush and swore, if a wolf was capable of it, she would be grinning evilly right about now.

* * *

"Well, well, I do believe I just caught a forest nymph bathing in the river."

Zelda froze at the cold, mocking tone in a voice that she'd sincerely believed she would never hear again. Ducking down into the water, she hugged her arms around her body and turned in the direction of the voice.

Ralph stood at the water's edge with her towel held out. "Still as beautiful as ever my dear. Tell me, has Link had the pleasure of seeing you like this yet?"

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she sunk deeper into the water until it lapped around her ears. She hadn't expected him to show up. What was he even doing out here?

Ralph grinned at her obvious discomfort. "Now, now, I really do need you to come out. Despite what you may think. I have other reasons for tracking you down." He held out the towel again. "We need to be going before your lover comes to your rescue, again." He spit out the last word bitterly, his eyes dark with hatred. "So get your ass over here because you do not want me to come in there and drag you out."

Zelda moved further away from the shore and where Ralph was standing. Maybe if she was quick she could reach the river bank further down along the shore and make it back to camp? True she'd be as naked as the day she was born, but right now her need for survival outweighed propriety.

"I'll count to three, Zelda." Ralph called, having noticed her slow retreat. "If you don't start moving this way, things will get ugly for you. Don't think I have forgiven you for the way you turned those muscle head morons against me."

Zelda tensed. "You did that to yourself when you tried to use them against Link."

Ralph snorted. "Oh please, I was just trying to get back what was mine."

"I am not yours!" Zelda hugged herself tighter. "We broke up! You have plenty of other women…"

"Actually, I don't." Ralph dropped the towel and kicked off his shoes. "Nayru left me and Ambi got weird and stopped talking to me. You're all I have left and I swear to the goddesses you will come back to me."

"Find someone else." She hissed. Her eyes widened in alarm when he threw off his shirt. "Don't you dare come in here!"

"Oh please, like it isn't anything I haven't seen before." Ralph waded further into the river. The water lapped at his legs. "Now get your ass over here."

"No." Zelda glanced around wildly. She couldn't let him catch her.

* * *

Hilda crawled on her belly, ignoring the branches that tugged at her fur and the rocks the scraped against her stomach as she quietly circled around the arguing pair. So long as Ralph's attention was on Zelda, he did not notice her slowly creeping up behind him. However, the further he got into the water was going to be a problem. If he dived after Zelda, she didn't think she'd be of any help.

Ralph waded in further. The water was at his waist now and he was moving slower. Hilda eased closer. Zelda was watching him too, as if she was biding her time. Was she waiting to make her own move? Hilda tilted her head, her eyes moving between the pair. The deeper Ralph went, the slower his response time was. He'd only bothered to remove his shirt and shoes. The man had been stupid enough to wade into a river wearing jeans. His remaining clothes would weigh him down. Was Zelda hoping to duck around him? Unhindered as she was by her state of undress, she'd be quicker than him in the water.

Suddenly Zelda dived beneath the surface and Ralph lunged towards her. She easily slipped around him beneath the water and surfaced behind him. In a flurry of limbs, she scrambled up onto the shore and snatch her towel up. Wrenching the cloth around her body, Zelda stumbled up the steep bank. Unfortunately, she miscalculated how quickly Ralph would be able to follow her. A snarl rose in Hilda's throat when Ralph yanked her sister back by her hair.

"I told you, bitch." Ralph sneered, pulling Zelda's head back so that she was staring up at him through watery eyes. "You wouldn't want me coming in after you."

Zelda's mouth curled into a snarl and she spit in his face. Crying out Ralph used his free hand to wipe the spittle away while Zelda used the distraction to try to break free. Dropping his hold on her hair, he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back.

"Rova told me to retrieve you in one piece but screw that." He kicked at the back of her knees and Zelda cried out as she lost balance. "I've been itching to teach you a lesson ever since you had the audacity to stick up for yourself at the farmer's market."

* * *

Ralph yanked off his sock and shoved the wet fabric deep into Zelda's mouth. "Just try and scream for help around that."

Zelda's eyes widened in horror as she gagged on the soggy fabric. She'd never seen the crazed look before that was in Ralph's eyes. He didn't even seem to notice her sagging towel. Her state of undress was the furthest thing from his mind. He shoved her against the ground and pressed her face into the dirt while he maneuvered himself into sitting on her back. Zelda choked as the unfamiliar weight settled over her chest and pain seared through her arms when he pressed his knees against her elbows to keep her pinned.

A hand wrapped around her hair and yanked her head back, bringing tears to her eyes. Ralph ducked down and pressed his head hard against her face. "Link isn't going to find you quite so pretty anymore once I'm done with you."

A loud snarl ripped through the collective quiet of the forest as a wolf leapt from the underbrush where it had been hiding. Ralph turned wide eyes towards the charging animal, his mouth falling open in surprise. Zelda twisted around and relief bubbled up inside of her at the sight of her sister.

* * *

Hilda launched herself at the hateful man. She'd always suspected Ralph had physically hurt her sister but had never had proof. Zelda had always been surprisingly tight-lipped about her relationship with him.

Her front paws pushed Ralph off of Zelda. She would check if her sister was ok later and once she was turned back to a Hylian, she would apologize to Zelda for waiting so long to act. She'd wanted absolute proof of what she suspected before she acted. The minute Ralph had pinned her sister down, Hilda knew she couldn't wait any longer.

Leaping free of the winded man, she circled round. Her teeth snagged the back of his jeans and dragged him further from Zelda. She pulled her lips back to reveal her sharp teeth and enjoyed the way Ralph started to blubber and cry. This man had all but broken her sister. Ruto and Lulu had told her of how Zelda had retreated into herself after her breakup with Ralph. The Zora sisters had suspected abuse too, but like Hilda, they couldn't get Zelda to admit to it. Through Ruto, she'd heard of the rocky beginning to Zelda's relationship with Link.

She'd known of their attempts to set the two of them up, or at least she had once she'd confronted them after meeting Ravio's cousin. She'd recognized right away that Link and Zelda knew each other. It was only natural for her to ask Ruto about it the next day and she'd gotten the whole story of how Link kept coming to her sister's rescue. She'd quickly come up with a plan to further the match making along. Suggesting to Ravio that he bring up going to the Twilight Fair had been child's play. Unfortunately, her attempts to get Zelda to talk about Ralph had back fired on her when talk circled around to her last trip to the fair. Thankfully, Link had made up for her blunder beautifully by winning her a new prize. She would never know what Ralph had done to the carnival prize he'd won for Zelda but she was confident that whatever hurt Ralph had inflicted had been healed by Link's actions.

Releasing her hold on Ravio, she pounced on top of him with her teeth still bared. Ralph screamed but there was no stopping the enraged wolf. Her teeth sunk in and she thought, perhaps her obsession with the Twili's Sol had actually been a blessing in disguise. After all, you can't charge a wolf with murder because she sure as hell was going to make sure this asshole never caused problems for her sister again.


	26. Chapter 26

"Well don't you just look like a bundle of sunshine." Ravio teased as he sat down beside Link.

Link glared at him and muttered a quiet, "shut up."

Ravio grinned and plucked up the heated coffee pot. Pouring himself a cup of coffee, his eyes fell on their silent visitor sitting across from them. Nodding in greeting, he replaced the pot and settled in beside Link.

"So where are the girls this morning?" He lifted his cup to hide his mouth but had no doubt the stranger had heard him loud and clear.

Link scowled. "Zelda insisted on going down to the river before Midna shows up. Hilda went with her."

Sipping his coffee, Ravio turned the information over in his head. He wasn't sure if he liked the idea of the two of them off on their own but figured Hilda was more than capable of protecting them.

"Speaking of Midna, any word on when she will arrive?"

"Dark and silent over there said 'morning'." Link glared down at his cup. "He hasn't bothered to elaborate. I think it's because Midna didn't bother to give him any other information."

"My, my but you are a grumpy one in the morning." Midna's lilting voice teased from directly behind Link and Ravio, causing both men to jump.

Ravio fell backwards off the log he'd been sitting on. Link, on the other hand, was on his feet in a blink of an eye. If he'd had a sword, Ravio was positive his cousin would have had it against Midna's throat by now.

Laughing gleefully, she glanced around the small campsite with a raised eyebrow. "You certainly have a quaint little campsite here, but you seem to be lacking a blonde and a wolf."

"The lady went to the river with her sister."

Midna turned to the man she'd sent to watch over them. "To the river?" Her mouth curled into a frown. "You're telling me, you let the reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia wander off on her own with Rova roaming about?"

"I…thought you would have taken care of her."

"Phierce, you idiot!" Midna smacked him across the back of his head. "She got away. I spent all night trying to track her down!"

Ravio raised an eyebrow, what the hell kind of name was 'Phierce'? He shook his head and dismissed the thought for now and instead, focused on Midna's previous remark. "Rova? You mean the 'old adversary' you had to deal with was Rova?"

Midna shifted her attention to him. "Yes, that two-tone haired witch and I go way back. Used to work together once upon a time too until I had a difference of opinion with our employer." Her expression twisted to a sneer. "Rova is here to get a hold of one of them." She gestured to Link. "She has no idea which one she needs. The hero, or the Princess; and you bumbling idiots just made it _very_ easy for her to get her hands on the Princess!"

Phierce threw off his blanket. "Madam, let me go. I'll track down Zelda…"

Midna nodded, not bothering to wait for him to finish. Phierce made it a few steps before a flash of light blinded them. Ravio blinked and was able to catch the flick of a wolf's tail as his vision cleared. He glanced to Midna who was watching with a rueful expression.

Midna sighed affectionately. "Phierce Dyettie is my most trusted advisor and companion. The man has watched my back for years. He'll get to Zelda before Rova."

* * *

Hilda shook her head and rubbed her paw roughly against her muzzle. Shaking the water from her fur, she glanced over her shoulder to where she'd left Zelda. Her sister still sat on the river bank, her knees drawn to her chest. Hilda worried she'd start rocking if they didn't get a move on soon. She twisted around to look at Ralph's prone form.

The man was breathing…just barely. Hilda would have happily finished the job except she couldn't quiet bury the Hylian that was still somewhere within this animal's body. As much as she wanted Ralph to pay, she couldn't be the one to make that ultimate decision. No, she would leave that decision to fate. Flicking her tail, she turned her back on him. Even if he did survive (something that was unlikely unless he got medical attention, and soon), it was highly unlikely he would come at her again after what had just happened to him.

Padding over to Zelda, she gently nuzzled her sister. Lifting her head, Zelda blinked at her. Gently nipping her fingers, Hilda pulled on her hand. They needed to get back before Link and Ravio came searching for them.

* * *

Zelda let Hilda prod her to her feet. She felt numb after everything that had happened. She wanted nothing more than to return to camp and pretend none of this had happened. Of course, there was no way that was happening. Her eyes immediately fell on Ralph. If it weren't for the shallow movement of his chest and the occasional raspy breath, she would have assumed Hilda had killed him. A small part of her almost wished Hilda had. At least then she wouldn't feel this incessant obligation to help him, but could she really turn her back on him when he needed help?

Obviously, her sister thought so. If the way she was trying to herd her away from the river was any indication. She debated digging in her heels. Insisting on helping Ralph but she furiously silenced her conscious. Ralph's persistence was becoming more than a little irksome. In fact, she was pretty sure that Link would be tempted to come back here to finish the job once he found out that Ralph had shown up. Again.

Actually, they were lucky Link hadn't already shown up. They'd been gone a lot longer than they'd expected and needed to get back before Link and Ravio started searching for them. She drew in a deep breath and slowly stood up. Thankfully, her legs no longer shook, and she'd used the time Hilda was cleaning herself to get dressed. Keeping a hand resting lightly on Hilda's back, she squared her shoulders and started walking back towards camp. Hopefully, they hadn't worried the boys too much.

* * *

Link plopped himself down on the log by their smoldering fire with his arms crossed. He was acting like a petulant child, but he really didn't like the idea of waiting here if Zelda was in trouble. Midna seemed to find this amusing for some reason, which didn't help his mood in the least. He was worried. Why was she finding that so amusing? This whole trip of theirs had gone completely sideways. What was supposed to be a simple excursion to the woods in search of a forest spirit had turned into, into…well he wasn't quite sure what to label it, but he knew he didn't like it. Like always, Ravio was making things complicated. Or, more specifically, whatever Ravio was tangled up in.

"Phierce will bring them back safely."

Link snorted. Like he was really going to trust someone who worked for Midna?

"Pouting isn't going to help." Midna needled from her own spot across from him. "I refuse to let you go wandering out there."

"Oh?" He sneered angrily. "And what exactly would you do if I decide to take off? Turn me into a wolf too? I'll still go after her, even if I have to do it on four legs instead of two."

"Now you're just being difficult. There's no need for such hostility."

He surged to his feet. "Go ahead, turn me to a wolf! It would actually be a help considering I don't have any weapons out here to defend her with!"

"She'll only run from you if I did."

Her words made him pause. Ravio had recognized Hilda immediately after she'd been turned. Wouldn't it be the same for him and Zelda? Would she really run from him? She was aware of Midna's power. Wouldn't she recognize him just as Ravio had recognized Hilda? Did he dare take the chance?

"Link?" Ravio tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the river. "They're back."

Midna forgotten, Link turned to watch Zelda and Hilda make their way towards them. Phierce was trailing behind them. He'd changed back to his Hylian form with the tattoos on his face but when he'd changed, Link couldn't say. His eyes met Zelda's across the small campsite, and instantly, he knew something wasn't right.

He ran his eyes over her, trying to visually pick out whatever was wrong. His eyes fell to Hilda. She was pressed tightly against Zelda's side and it looked like she'd taken a dip in the river as well. It probably wasn't completely unusual. Animals liked to be clean, right? Especially ones that were really Hylians?

"Something's…happened." Ravio whispered softly standing beside him.

Link gave him a sideways look. So, Ravio could sense it as well? Midna had fallen silent too, which caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Just what in the name of Farore was going on?

Hilda nudged Zelda and she seemed to suddenly focus on him. Stumbling away from Hilda, she almost tripped in her hurry to reach him. His arms locked around her the minute she buried her face against his shoulder and burst into tears. He met Hilda's eyes and wished desperately that the wolf could speak. Come to think of it, he turned to Midna. Hadn't she said she'd turn Hilda back?

"What happened Phierce?"

Link scowled at Midna's question. "Why don't you turn Hilda back? She'd be able to answer your question just as well as him."

She ignored him and stared at Phierce expectantly.

Phierce cleared his throat. "I met them on their way back and neither was forthcoming with an answer."

"Neither?" Link looked between him and Hilda. "How'd you ask Hilda?" The woman was a wolf. Was Phierce able to communicate with other wolves when he was… Link scowled. His world had been so much simpler before he'd known magic was an actuality.

"Yes, he can communicate while as a wolf." Midna waved the explanation away with a careless shrug. "Turning her back won't do a damn thing if she isn't willing to talk."

"Maybe she's not willing to talk to you." Ravio mentioned quietly.

Midna lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "And you think she'll talk to you?" She pursed her lips and studied him before slowly smiling.

Link didn't like that smile. He didn't trust it.

"Fine, we'll play it your way Ravio." Midna lifted a hand. "Shall we see what your girlfriend has been burning to say since I turned her into a wolf?"

* * *

Rova stomped angrily through the forest. It wasn't fair. Midna usually relied on her pet wolf to do the fighting. When she'd shown up without the wolf in tow, Rova had been confident in her victory. She would simultaneously capture the reincarnated princess and get rid of the thorn in Demise's side that was Midna. Her employer would find her indispensable if she could rid him of Midna. Her betrayal had cut him deep. Not quite as deep as when Nabooru had told him to stick his offer up his ass, but that was a different story. And an entirely different problem for another day.

Though she wouldn't be surprised if Nabooru showed up somewhere in these blasted woods too. It was entirely too convenient that so many reincarnated players from the past had shown up in one place. It couldn't be complete coincidence. As far as she knew, Link and Zelda were not aware of their dormant powers and she planned to keep it that way. The last thing she needed was the Goddess' champion waking up. He was enough of a problem without the ancient wisdom and tactical prowess his ancestor could lend him. Of the two, she'd rather deal with Zelda. At least if she woke up, she could fight magic with magic. Hopefully Ralph had her by now.

Pushing a sapling aside, she stepped over some rocks and sunk ankle deep into mud. She sucked in an angry breath and forced herself to remain calm. Yanking her foot free, she backed up a step and tried to move through a different spot. And ended up knee deep in a different bog.

"I HATE THIS FOREST!"

Fine, so she couldn't avoid it. She trudged forward and ignored the water seeping into her socks. If she didn't know better, she swore the damn forest had it out for her. She couldn't be that far now. They'd split up once she'd realized Midna was closing in. Ralph would go on ahead and try to separate Zelda from the group. They'd agreed to meet at the river after deciding Link and Zelda would set up camp nearby in order to have a source of water.

Reaching solid ground, she stared dejectedly down at her feet. Her shoes were ruined. At least they weren't anything she'd planned to wear again after this excursion. After this, she planned to stay as far as possible from anything that could be classified as a forest. Sighing, she pushed on. Nothing she could do about her shoes now. They were ruined but it was still better than wearing heels.

The sound of rushing water greeted her minutes later when she finally found the river. Unfortunately, so did the sight of her mauled partner. Rova wasted a good half minute staring in shock at Ralph. Rova's mouth turned down in a frown. So, was this where Midna's pet wolf had been?

She stepped closer and peered down at him. She tilted her head and debated what she should do. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she crouched beside him. Goddesses, that wolf really did a number on him. She hesitated in checking for a pulse. Was there really any point? Her eyes landed on his chest. His chest neither rose nor fell. He wasn't breathing. Her mouth twisted into a pout. Well, that's just great. Pushing to her feet, she paced around him with her arms crossed. On one hand, he'd given her valuable information about equipping herself for this trip into the forest. On the other, he laughed at her.

Stopping on his other side, she tapped her foot as she continued her internal debate. She'd barely managed to slip away from Midna and that had been without her pet wolf there. Ralph hadn't stood a chance and would probably lose again in a rematch. She angled her head and eyed him shrewdly. So, he was dead weight but…he could be useful dead weight. If the wolf was too busy chasing him, it would give her the opening she needed to get at Midna again. Slowly, she smiled and her eyes lit up.

Yes, it was an excellent plan. Perhaps a little cruel, since it would mean putting Ralph through being mauled by a wolf all over again, but it would be just the distraction she needed. She laughed and held out her hands.

"You're lucky I still need you."

Of course he couldn't hear her but it didn't matter.

"You're also lucky that I'm in a position where I can help you."

She laughed again and drew in more power. All around them the earth died, trees and plants withered. Birds that had been perched in branches fell dead to the ground and fish floated to the surface of the river. The life energy she gathered crackled around her hands.

"And imagine their surprise when they are faced with someone they know should be dead."


	27. Chapter 27

"Shall we see what your girlfriend has been burning to say since I turned her into a wolf?"

Hilda perked up at Midna's taunt. Was she being earnest or was it an empty promise? She couldn't help but hope Midna wasn't joking. She looked to Ravio. She could tell she wasn't the only one who was hoping Midna wasn't teasing them. Shifting her focus back, she was surprised to see Midna watching her. The smile on her face sent a chill down Hilda's spine but she couldn't look away.

Midna's grin widened. "Yes, I think you've spent enough time running around on all fours. It's questionable whether or not you've actually learned your lesson, but we cannot afford to play around here much longer."

Hilda blinked and the next thing she knew, she was a hylian again. A hylian who was kneeling on all fours in the dirt. Sitting back on her heels, she lifted her hands from the ground. Staring at her hands, she wiggled her fingers before breaking into an excited laugh. She was hylian again!

Slowly, she stood up. Her legs felt wobbly, but she had no trouble keeping her balance. Thankfully, she was still dressed in the same thing she'd been wearing when Midna had turned her into a wolf. Her jeans and t-shirt were perfect attire for searching the forest. She eyed Midna thoughtfully. The woman had unknowingly helped her, not that she would ever admit it, but thanks to Midna's meddling, she was now closer to finding the sword than she'd ever been before.

"Hilda, what happened to Zelda?"

Her mouth twisted into a bemused smile and she turned to Link. Ah yes, of course. Leave it to him to get right to the point. Now, how best to handle this? If she told him that Ralph had shown up, it would only result in Link insisting they hunt him down. Not that she blamed him. The trick then, would be to convince Link the best thing to do now, was leave the forest.

"Ralph showed up again." Zelda wiped at her eyes and drew in a shaky breath. "Hilda arrived just in time to stop him."

Hilda's eyes shot to her sister and unbidden, a growl bubbled up at the back of her throat. She blinked in surprise. She would have thought _that_ instinct would be gone the minute she wasn't a wolf. Guess not. Squashing down the growl, Hilda thought quickly.

Zelda finding her voice again was not something she needed right now. Zelda would completely derail their group if she didn't step in, and fast.

"He isn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon." Hilda's rushed declaration drew everyone's attention. She tamped down the urge to grin. Perfect.

"What do you mean?" Link bit out, his voice colored with concealed rage.

She gave Link a calculated look. His anger could work to her advantage. "A wolf attack isn't something one can easily walk away from." She smiled coldly. "It was definitely an advantage being a wolf. Ralph will never know who actually attacked him."

And that, was probably the closest she would get to thanking Midna for turning her into a four-legged beast.

Link didn't look convinced but that was ok. She gave Midna a side long glance. Link's protective instincts could easily be manipulated. She just had to give him an option that would appeal to his need to protect her sister. An option that she hoped Midna would back whole heartedly.

"I don't know if he will recover but I think we need to change our plan a bit." Pausing, Hilda made sure she still had everyone's attention before laying out the rest of her plan. "Ravio and I will stay behind. No one will be expecting it since everyone seems to be chasing after Zelda. She's safest back at Castle Town, so I suggest Link takes her back home…"

"And what makes you think I will allow the two of you to stay behind?" Midna broke in.

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Hilda turned to Midna. "You were the one who demanded the sword in exchange for changing me back. I do not, even for a second, believe that has actually changed."

The Twili exchanged an amused look with her silent partner. "Phierce, did you neglect to explain to them I do not want the sword?"

"No, milady. I made sure to explain the sword was no longer a requirement."

"Even if you don't need it, I still do." Ravio interjected stubbornly. "I have a reputation to uphold…"

"You have got to be kidding me." Link groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "What reputation would that be Ravio? The one where you are a bumbling con man who can't follow through on anything without roping me into it? Or are you talking about the one where you were pretending to have feelings for Hilda to get her to help you find a sword that you had no idea was magical?"

Ravio gaped at his cousin but Hilda could only roll her eyes. "The loyalty you all for each other leaves much to be desired." Her lip curled in disgust. "Are you hoping I'll get angry and turn against him?"

Link's jaw tensed, his eyes darkening in anger. "You know?"

"I didn't have to know." Hilda raised her chin with a haughty air. "I _trust_ him, Link. I don't need Ravio to explain every little detail to me."

"Then you're a bloody idiot." Midna sighed with a shake of her head. "Not that it matters, the two of you are not staying here. That sword will remain where it is. Lost…"

"But…" Zelda exchanged a worried look with Link.

Catching the look, Hilda caught on instantly. They were hiding something. Something that they refused to tell them. If she had to guess, she would say the 'something' they were hiding was what ever happened back at the castle ruins. Ravio hadn't noticed but she'd been sure the two of them had disappeared into the wall behind the bookshelf. That crest on the wall was a symbol for something. Maybe even some sort of doorway. She cursed silently, if only she hadn't been a wolf when she and Ravio had tried the strange wall crest. They probably would then know whatever Zelda and Link were hiding.

Since it was too late for them to go back to the ruins. Hilda decided she would just have to drag whatever they were hiding out of Link and Zelda.

* * *

He saw the change in Hilda's eyes the minute she came to a decision. A decision Link was sure he wouldn't like. There was no doubt in his mind that she was scheming something. His grip tightened around Zelda's shoulders. She was still trembling, but it looked like she was quickly regaining her composer. Which was a relief, he hated to see her hurting. Unfortunately, it looked like they were about to be interrogated by Hilda.

"What were you going to say Zelda?"

At his side, Zelda's body tensed at the accusatory tone in Hilda's voice. "N-nothing Hilda…"

"No, it wasn't nothing. I saw the look you gave Link." Hilda's eyes swung wildly between the two. "You're hiding something from us."

"Us?" Link snorted and hoped no one would notice he'd broken into a cold sweat. "What about you? You're awfully anxious to get us out of this forest."

"Yes, you are." Midna frowned and crossed her arms. "Which is kind of curious, if you ask me."

"Link and Zelda were never supposed to be involved." Ravio piped up.

"Yes, exactly!" Hilda beamed at Ravio. "Now that I am back, they're not needed. So, if they would just tell us what they're hiding –"

"We aren't hiding anything!"

Link arched an eyebrow at Zelda for that one because they were hiding something. They'd been careful to not mention anything about Impa or the Deku Tree, but he was beginning to suspect Midna knew of the hidden Tree Spirit in the woods.

"Then tell us what that crest behind the bookshelf is." Hilda crossed her arms and waited expectantly for an answer neither he nor Zelda were prepared to give.

"It was nothing more than a pretty carving on the wall."

Hilda scoffed. "Sure, Zelda. Like I believe that."

Zelda's sucked in an angry breath, but Link lightly squeezed her shoulder, making her pause. They were wasting time trying to argue with Hilda. Like it or not, Hilda was right. They were hiding the secret shrine the crest behind the bookcase had led to. They had no intention of telling this to Hilda, so this argument would just have them talking in circles because neither side would give in.

So far, Midna and Phierce had been quiet, keeping to themselves. Sure, Midna had interjected a couple of times. Mainly to say she wasn't going to let either of them remain behind but she'd kept her reasons pretty close to the chest. Perhaps it was time to turn the focus to their unwanted company.

"Forget the crest at the ruins." Hilda's mouth dropped open to protest, but Link quickly cut her off before she could voice her objection. "I would rather like to know why Midna wants us out of these woods so badly she was willing to go back on whatever deal she had with Ravio."

Hilda's mouth snapped shut and Link hid his smile when she turned to Midna. Hopefully she would completely forget about the crest. Beside him, Zelda looped her arm around his waist and gave him an appreciative squeeze. He glanced down at her and she mouthed to him, "good job." He grinned, winked back at her and enjoyed the way her face flushed prettily before she ducked her head down.

"Why did you suddenly change your mind about wanting the sword?"

Midna groaned at Ravio's question. "Seriously? We're really going to do this? I turn your girlfriend back and instead of a 'thank-you', I get a 'why'd you do it'?"

"It does seem rather ungrateful of them." Phierce commented lightly with a small smile. Again, he was looking at Link with pride in his eyes.

Link swore his hair stood on end. Phierce's odd show of father pride was seriously beginning to creep him out. This wasn't the first time that he'd caught the strange man giving him almost fatherly approval. Why Phierce would look at him with such pride was beyond him.

"Yes, you're getting a 'why'd you do it'." Fisting her hands on her hips, Hilda eyed Midna suspiciously. "Maybe if I like your answer, I'll give you a 'thank-you'."

"I should have kept you as a wolf." Midna groused bitterly. "You were easier to deal with when you were running around on all fours."

Link held back a laugh. Frankly, he agreed with Midna. He switched his gaze to Zelda and wondered if she felt the same. Probably not. He couldn't see Zelda wishing something like that on anyone.

Catching him watching her, Zelda tilted her head to silently ask him what he was thinking. Smiling softly, he shook his head gently to let her know it wasn't important.

"Speaking of turning into a wolf." Hilda suddenly blurted out while looking pointedly at Phierce. "He seems to be able to turn at will. Do I have that ability now too?"

"Do you –" Midna gaped at her. "Just what are you getting at?"

"Can I turn myself into a wolf at will like your partner? It's not really a difficult question to answer."

Midna pressed a hand to her forehead. "I swear dealing with you has given me a permanent headache. No, you cannot turn yourself into a wolf at will. Phierce…is an exception and one that I cannot duplicate."

Hilda looked disappointed and for the life of him, Link couldn't figure out why. What reason could she possibly have to turn back into a wolf for?

"We are wasting too much time here." Midna's hand dropped back to her side. "Enough with the questions. We need to leave this forest now…"

"I'm not leaving." Hilda announced with a stubborn tilt of her chin. "Ravio needs the sword and we intend to get it. Your concern seems to stem from Link and Zelda's involvement. So, get them out of the forest if you must but I will not leave until Ravie has the sword."

"Ah, and now we've come full circle."

Midna gave Phierce an annoyed look. "Thanks, I would never have noticed without your commentary."

Ignoring her look, Phierce folded his hands behind his back. "I have a question though. A…small detail that has been bothering me with your continued insistence Link and Zelda should go home."

Catching on to what Phierce was getting at, Midna nodded to herself. "Good point Phierce. I've been wondering that one too."

"Wondering what?" Ravio asked.

"How do you expect to retrieve the Master Sword," Phierce nodded in Link and Zelda's direction, "without them?"

"Them?" Hilda scrunched up her nose. "Why would we need them?"

Link felt something cold settle in the pit of his stomach. He'd already begun to suspect he and Zelda were needed to find the sword. After all, they'd been visited by an ancient Sheikah and had been given a special quest (for the lack of a better word) to find a spirit.

However, it didn't mean he liked having his suspicions confirmed.

High peels of laughter answered Hilda's question and drew everyone's attention to the tree line of the clearing they were standing in. A second later, Rova stepped out from her hiding place among the trees. "You can't be serious? You still haven't figured it out? Even after Midna basically spelled it out for you?"

Midna cursed and Phierce stepped in front of her. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here after yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Rova turned wide eyes to Midna. "Oh, was your little magic show meant to scare me away?"

Ignoring the banter between Rova and Midna, Link kept an arm around Zelda as he began to slowly inch his way backwards. It wasn't hard to see this was going to escalate quickly and he wanted to be as far away from any type of magical battle as he could be.

"And where do you think you're going?" Link swore. Rova was watching them with an amused tilt of her chin. "You didn't really think I wouldn't notice, did you?"

"Well, I was hoping we'd be far away from here before you noticed we were gone."

Rova clucked her tongue sympathetically. "Awe and after I went to all the trouble of bringing Zelda a special friend?" Sympathy melted into malice and Rova snapped her fingers to signal to a shadow that had been hiding among the trees.

Zelda's grip on his arm tightened as the shadow moved and stepped further into the light. He had no idea how Ralph could possibly have survived Hilda's attack but he didn't appear to have a scratch on him.

"Zelda, baby, I'm hurt you left me just lying there after that wolf attacked me." Grinning widely, Ralph stretched his arms out. "Thankfully Rova found me before it was too late."

"Holy Goddesses, what will it take for you to get the hint my sister wants nothing to do with you?"

Link was beginning to wonder that himself. Ralph had blown past the line and had reached the 'unhealthy obsession' phase.

"Aww did you hear them Ralph?" Rova cooed, throwing an arm around his shoulders and pressing her body into his side. "No one appreciates your dedication to your woman." Resting her head on his shoulder, she eyed Zelda shrewdly. "I think you need to teach your woman how to respect you, Ralphie. That evil Link is putting ideas in her head."

Link rubbed a hand over his jaw. As Rova spoke, Ralph's expression had slowly grown murderous. This…wasn't going to end well.

"Here Ralphie." Rova seemed to pull a long thin sword out of thin air. "It's time you took care of the bad influence he's had on your woman."

Yep, Link realized as he watched Ralph take the blade. This really wasn't going to end well.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi everyone, so sorry for this VERY late update. I've been busy with the holidays fast approaching and completely lost track of time. Updates may continue to be sporadic until after the holidays. As always, I look forward to your reviews and thank you to everyone who have Favorited/followed my writing. Also a huge thank you to anyone who is still sticking around to read my stuff even with the sporadic update schedule. If I don't get another post up before the holidays, I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. :)**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Happy New Year everyone, hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Update schedule should return to weekly every weekend again now that the holidays are over. As always, I look forward to your reviews :)**

* * *

Link wasn't sure if Ralph had any idea how to use the sword he currently held in a death grip and, to be frank, he wasn't in any hurry to find out. Zelda gripped his arm tightly, not that he needed the reminder that he was the only thing standing between her and Ralph. Gently shaking his arm free of her grip, he briefly wondered what his old martial arts instructor would think. Renado had always insisted the most he'd ever come up against was someone wielding a knife. What would he think when he told him he'd had to defend against someone with a sword?

Knowing him, he would just say a sword is nothing more than a really big knife.

"Link."

The call of his name didn't quite throw off his focus. Seeing Phierce so close to him and holding a sword towards him hilt first, however, did.

Looking amused, Phierce held the sword out again. "Take it, Link."

He stared at the sword as if it would bite him. "Are you crazy? I don't know how to use a sword."

"My Mistress took off after Rova, who took off after your foolish cousin and his girlfriend." He pushed the sword at Link again. "I do not have time to explain this to you, but you will have to trust me."

Wait, everyone had left? Now that he wasn't watching Ralph, he noticed for the first time that they were the only ones left. Rova, Midna, Ravio, and Hilda were nowhere to be seen.

Sensing what he was going to ask, Phierce quickly explained. "Ravio and Hilda went looking for the Master Sword after concluding it must be nearby. Rova followed them and my Mistress is hoping to cut them off before they do something stupid."

Phierce didn't need to say what the 'something stupid' was. Link could guess Midna was hoping she would be able to stop Ravio and Hilda from leading Rova straight to the Master Sword. Even so, he still didn't take the sword.

An action that clearly annoyed Phierce. "You must take the sword, Link."

"I collect swords. The most I've ever done is sharpen blades." Curling his mouth in a sneer, he shook his head sharply. "If I take that thing, I'll probably end up hurting myself instead of Ralph."

Completely ignoring his concerns, Phierce forced him to take the sword. "The idea of you not being able to use a sword is laughable at best but unfortunately we've run out of time." He checked Ralph's position before turning back to Link and Zelda. "Ralph must not be allowed to walk away from here. Rova's magic has left him twisted…"

"You want me to kill him!" Disgusted, Link threw the blade down. Beating up someone who deserved it was one thing, but killing someone? It wasn't his place to decide whether someone lived or died. He would subdue Ralph and take him to the authorities. Something they should have done weeks ago.

"Don't be an idiot Link, he's already dead." Stooping to retrieve the sword, Phierce again shoved the sheathed blade at Link. "Take the sword and do what you must to stop Ralph."

Link stared at the sheathed sword. "He's an ass but he doesn't deserve death."

"Weren't you listening? He's already dead!" Phierce pointed to Ralph. "It never ends well when Rova uses her magic this way. The soul doesn't quite come back all the way when she resurrects someone. His mind will slowly deteriorate until there is nothing but a mindless shell left. Do you really want him to become a Redead?"

"A…what?" The name sounded familiar even though he couldn't place where he'd heard it. All he knew was it caused a shiver to run down his back.

Phierce shook his head. "Just know the answer to my question is, no." He took a step backwards. "I must catch up with Midna. Miss Zelda…"

"I'm not leaving Link to face Ralph on his own." Zelda squared her shoulders and defiantly lifted her chin. "Scamper away if you must but it will be without me."

At her declaration, Phierce made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl. "You would only be a distraction."

"I know how to keep out of the way."

Blowing out an exasperated groan, Phierce glanced to Link for help but he only smiled back. If the silver-haired man thought he would get any kind of help from him, he was sadly mistaken. It was stupid and would probably bite him in the ass later, but he wanted Zelda where he could see her. He didn't trust Ravio to keep Zelda safe (even if he had been there) and he certainly didn't trust Phierce.

"Fine!" Phierce threw up his arms. "He's always done better when your safety has been at stake anyway!"

Phierce's word choice was confusing but he let it go. Not that Phierce was sticking around to explain himself even if Link had wanted to ask questions. Phierce had already turned his back to them, his body shifting to a wolf's in a blinding flash of light.

* * *

Ravio checked over his shoulder again. He was positive someone had to be following them. He thought it had been way too easy to sneak away. At the very least he had expected Midna to follow them. She'd been so insistent they leave the sword alone. Why would she allow them to slip away? She knew their intentions.

"Hilda?" He tried to get her attention but Hilda had been pretty quiet since signalling to him to follow her. He was actually beginning to wonder why she'd even bothered to bring him along if she was going to continue to ignore him like this.

"It's gotta be here somewhere." Muttering to herself, she completely ignored Ravio's attempt to get her attention. "Midna was almost panicking when we wanted to continue looking."

"I'm not entirely sure we can assume that meant we were close."

Hilda's eyes widened and she whirled on him. "How could you even suggest that?"

Oh sure, now she hears me. He disappointedly thought, but said instead. "We've been running around here for the last 20 minutes and haven't found anything. We either ran in the wrong direction or Midna was pulling another fast one in an attempt to misdirect us."

"Maybe." Hilda frowned and slowly surveyed the trees surrounding them. "Or maybe she's busy running interference. Keeping Rova away so that we can find the sword."

He stared back uncertainly. He didn't think that was the right answer, but Hilda seemed to have made up her mind. Picking a direction, she started walking and he had no choice but to fall in step. Actually, he had the choice to turn back but he liked the idea of Hilda running around alone even less.

Huh, maybe Link is rubbing off on me?

* * *

Zelda had retreated back to the edge of the trees. Giving Link plenty of room to use the sword he'd been given. He wasn't entirely sure how helpful this really was. He still had no idea of how to fight with the long blade, but he figured he'd be more likely to try to use it with Zelda well out of range. Ralph's eyes had traced her movements the entire time. His resolve to beat the asshole hardened at the confident gleam in Ralph's eyes.

He drew the blade, the sun glinted off the steel as it slid free from the scabbard. Ralph would not be getting past him. Not if he could help it.

Ralph's eyes shifted to him. "Oh? You think you can stop me?" He lifted his own blade. "I heard you earlier. You have no idea how to use that sword."

"What? And you do?"

"Guess you'll find OUT!" Ralph shouted the last word as he launched himself at Link.

His body tensed and he instinctively brought his own sword up to deflect Ralph's blow. The sound of steel clashing echoed in the suddenly silent forest. Throwing his blade free, Link pivoted around only to realize his fatal mistake.

He no longer stood between Ralph and Zelda.

"Zelda!" His shoes dug into the soft earth as he tried to catch up to Ralph.

Ralph cackled. Really, it was the only word he could think of that accurately described the sound the other man made as the distance between them shrank and Link realized with a sickening feeling, he wasn't going to make it in time.

Zelda seemed to realize the same thing at the same time. She stumbled backwards in her rush to get out of the way but she'd waited too long to react. Ralph pulled the hand wielding his sword back. Link didn't need to know how to use a sword to understand he planned to run her through.

Zelda's wide eyes locked with his own over Ralph's shoulder and Link felt something inside of him snap. A blood curling scream bubbled up from his throat. The rage he felt in his chest was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. It was foreign and it suddenly felt like there was another consciousness inside of him. A consciousness who was furious that someone had dared to threaten Zelda.

 _I will stop him._

Link blinked but didn't have a chance to question where the voice had come from because he was suddenly throwing his sword. He watched with wide eyes as the blade struck Ralph in the back with enough force to throw the man off balance. Ralph fell face first and Link found himself already moving towards him before he'd stopped skidding through the dirt.

Leaping onto his back, Link locked both hands around the hilt. _"Your obsession with her ends here. Return to the nether and let the King of Darkness know he will never get his hands on the Princess or the Master Sword."_

He blinked and the odd presence that had filled him a minute ago was gone. Noticing he was still kneeling on Ralph's back, he quickly released the sword and leapt to his feet. The sword remained standing upright. The blade had been forced clean through and had literally pinned Ralph to the ground. Blood was slowly soaking into the ground surrounding Ralph's prone form and he felt bile rise up the back of his throat. His memory was foggy but he knew he was responsible. He'd killed a man in cold blood.

"Link!"

Zelda's tearful cry brought him out of the tailspin his mind had been about to take and he looked up in time to catch her as she launched herself at him. Her momentum caused him to lose his balance and fall backwards. His arms closed around her instinctively but she didn't seem to notice as she buried her nose against his collar bone.

"Goddesses Link, I thought he was going to kill me." She lifted her face away from his neck to stare tearfully into his eyes. "I don't know what came over you but if you hadn't done what you did." A shudder ran through her body and she buried her face against his shoulder. "He would have killed me…"

Hugging her to him, he tilted his head back to stare up at the sky. He'd killed a man or, more accurately, something within him had taken control. He'd never felt anything like it before but whatever had happened had felt familiar somehow…like whatever it was, was a part of him. It scared him a bit that what he remembered was hazy, like a dream. One minute he'd been sure Zelda was going to be killed, and the next minute he heard a strange voice that sounded oddly like his own saying it would help him. At least whatever it was had wanted to protect Zelda just as much as him.

"What were you talking about a minute ago though?"

Again Zelda's voice pulled at his attention. Lowering his gaze to her, he raised an eyebrow in question. "What do you mean?"

"You said the King of Darkness wouldn't be getting the Princess or the Master Sword." Propping herself up on his chest, she tilted her head inquisitively. "What did you mean by that?"

"I…don't know." He frowned. He vaguely remembered saying that but had no idea what any of it meant. Was he talking about Zelda when he said that about a Princess?

As he thought it over, Zelda's eyes slowly traced over his face. "You looked strange when you said it too. Your eyes were so dark, like you weren't even there." Lifting a hand, she carefully ran a hand over his cheek.

A chill ran down his spine at her words. Should he tell her that he really hadn't been there? That something else had helped them? Still tracing his features with her fingertips, his mind went blank when she gently traced over his mouth. Tentatively meeting her eyes, his hands slip up until he was cupping her face and his thumb rubbed over her lips.

"Zelda…"

Shaking her head, she gently pressed her finger against his mouth. "We'll figure it out."

He could only nod as he gently drew her closer and fit his mouth to hers.


	29. Chapter 29

Slowly, ever so slowly the kiss ended. Zelda's eyes drifted open to stare at the man beneath her. Link still cupped her face gently between his hands. She licked her lips and gleefully watched as Link's eyes immediately dropped to watch the motion. She sucked in a shocked breath. He wanted to kiss her again and, goddesses help her, she wanted him to. She shut her eyes and mentally ran through all the reasons why doing this, now of all times, was completely inappropriate.

There was a dead body not ten feet from them.

Her sister and Ravio were somewhere in these woods with a mad woman –maybe two –chasing after them.

There was a dead body.

They needed to find that blasted sword.

Zelda opened her eyes. Goddess be damned but she didn't care. She should, but...she really wanted to kiss him again. It had been everything she'd always dreamed a first kiss should be and…there was no doubt in her mind anymore. She was definitely in love with the man.

Groaning, she pressed their foreheads together. Their timing absolutely sucked.

"They're kissing again."

"Again? I thought the Great Deku Tree said these incarnations hadn't gotten this far in their relationship."

"Kissing is a far cry from what we used to catch them doing."

"True…maybe they haven't gotten to that part yet? Should we leave? Their previous incarnations used to get so mad at us."

"No, he would get mad at us. She was usually embarrassed."

Zelda shared a bewildered look with Link before they both turned to see who was talking. Startled to find themselves surrounded, Link rolled out from beneath her.

"W-we're surrounded by…talking leaves?" Keeping an arm around her, he kept her close to his side as he stared at the strange creatures.

His description was oddly accurate. She counted five in total. Their bodies looked to be constructed of wood and they all wore a leaves over their faces. At first she thought they were masks, but was quickly corrected of that assumption when the eye-holes blinked at her curiously.

"Talking leaves?" The little creatures exchanged bemused looks. "Well that's a new one. This must be the first incarnation who's never heard of us."

"No, there was one other. Remember? He expected us to look like Hylian children."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about him."

"Who are you talking about?" Link cut in to stop their banter.

The tallest of the five placed his stubby little arms on, what Zelda assumed, were his hips. "We are talking about past heroes of course."

"Past…" Link fell silent.

She couldn't blame him. She'd been listening closely to what they were saying and a lot of it was over her head…although, she felt like it shouldn't be. It was like a niggling thought at the back of her mind, or trying to recall a name that was just on the tip of her tongue. Try as she might, her mind came back blank every time she tried to make sense of what they were saying. Although, she'd latched onto one, or rather, three words they'd spoken earlier. Great Deku Tree. They knew where it (he?) was. She was sure of it.

"The Great Deku Tree."

Her statement got their attention. The tallest one nodded as if he (she?) had expected her to say as much. "You were always one to get to the point. We're glad to see that much hasn't changed."

"I think this is the first time they've come looking for us without really knowing what they were looking for…"

"You noticed that too?" Another commented, his/her little mouth turning down in a frown. "They're usually so much more aware by the time they get to this step."

"Well, it's not our call to make. The Great Deku Tree said he'd felt their presence and sent us to lead them to our hidden Glade within the Lost Woods."

"Lost Woods?" Link's grip tightened around her shoulder. "Isn't that just a legend?"

"Yes, but most legends have a bit of truth in them somewhere." One of the creatures piped up cheerfully. "You're actually lucky the Great Deku Tree wasn't in one of his slumbers. You could have been wandering around here for years without his guidance."

"Enough talk!" The tallest creature stepped in. "The Great Deku Tree wants to see them now. We should go before those others circle back here."

"The others." Zelda's eyes widened. Of course, they meant Hilda and Ravio. "We can't just abandon them. They're family…and," She glanced at Ralph's still form laying in the grass behind them. "We…need to figure some things out."

Following the direction of her gaze, Link groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Figure some things out? Boy, that's putting it lightly."

"Demise's minion will be back to clean up. She knows her creation was defeated." Toddling up behind them, the creature gently nudged the backs of their legs. "The Great Deku Tree will make sure this doesn't come back to you."

Link eyed the sword still protruding from Ralph's back and shuddered. "Ya, forgive me if I have my doubts. You're asking me to rely on a tree to get me out of trouble."

"Are you sure you're the one who killed him?" The creature at their backs asked with a curious lilt to their voice.

Zelda frowned. The creature's question brought back how Link had looked in that moment. His eyes had been so dark when he'd thrown his sword at Ralph. In that moment, when Link had acted to save her, he hadn't looked or acted like himself. She'd seen into the depths of his eyes and what had stared back at her had been familiar and yet still a stranger. She'd seen a level of recognition there but it was like _he_ hadn't seen her. Or, more accurately, like he was seeing someone else.

Shaking her head to clear the strange thought, she eyed Link to see how he was responding to the little creature's question. He looked shocked and a little scared, but scared of what? That he'd killed a man or had the creature's question unknowingly hit on the truth? A chill ran down her spine. She was beginning to feel like there was more here in play than what she was aware of.

"Do…" Link paused and gave her an uncertain look before turning back to the creatures to ask his question. "Do you know who it was I heard?"

The tallest creature's mouth curled into a knowing smile, or rather, the mouth-shaped hole in his leaf turned up into a smile. "I might but the Great Deku Tree is the one who'll have your answers."

Link's eyes widened. He didn't have to say to her what he was thinking. She was thinking the same thing too. Finally, answers. Lifting a hand to the one he had on her shoulder, Zelda gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. She wanted him to know she would support him. After all, he'd killed a man to protect her…odd how something deep down told her it wasn't the first time…and probably wouldn't be the last.

"Take us to the Great Deku Tree."

* * *

Hilda stomped her foot down in frustration. "Why haven't we found it yet?"

Behind her, Ravio cringed. They'd been running around for almost an hour now and still hadn't found anything. He was starting to get a little antsy. They also hadn't seen Rova or Midna the entire time they'd been running around aimlessly through the forest. It didn't add up. Unless, of course, they'd circled back to Link and Zelda. In which case, perhaps they should head back too.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe Midna was only trying to mislead us."

Ravio closed his eyes and stifled his relieved sigh. Now they could head back…

"We'll have to just go the opposite way Midna was telling us not to go in."

Or they could continue to wander this goddess-forsaken forest until the end of time.

"Hilda…don't the legends say only the reincarnated Goddess Hylia and her chosen hero can find the Master Sword's resting place?" Maybe if he started to gently poke holes in her theory he'd be able to get her to see reason.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Crossing her arms, she turned to face him. "I am descended from the original Royal family of Hyrule. The women of said family always end up being the reincarnated Goddess Hylia."

"Well, what about the hero." Ravio had a sinking feeling he knew what she was going to say, but he had to ask. "We never traced the lineage of the hero…"

"We didn't have to." Hilda said with a smug smile. "The hero always appears when the Goddess incarnate needs him."

Ravio's body tensed. No, she couldn't possibly mean…

"I was turned into a wolf and voila, you came to my rescue. Ergo, you're the hero."

So, he grimaced, she did mean it. She thought they were the Goddess and her chosen hero. Maybe there would have been a time where he would have thought the same but…he wasn't so sure of that now.

"Hilda…"

"No Ravio." She clapped her hands over her ears and glared at him. "I know what you're going to say and you're wrong, ok? We ARE them. We have to be. Who else could it be?"

"My, my, she really can't see the forest for the trees, can she?" Rova taunted, finally stepping out from her hiding spot. "Perhaps you should think a little about that dearie. Who else could it possibly be?"

"You're here!" Hilda smiled triumphantly and quickly turned back to Ravio. "See! We are them, we are the reincarnations of the Hero and the Goddess! Why else would Rova bother to come after us?"

Ravio edged closer to Hilda. He could think of a few reasons and none of them had to do with being those characters of legend. Belatedly, he wondered where Midna was. She should be the one to take care of Rova. She at least had the ability to fight magic with magic.

Rova grinned and Ravio felt his blood go cold. It was like she'd read his mind. "Oh, I took care of Midna. I'm afraid she won't be able to help you." Twirling a lock of red hair around her finger, she tilted her head and stared at them with wide eyes. "Actually, I'm afraid you two are on your own. My little puppet has been defeated so I can only assume your family is currently on their way to finding the Master Sword."

"What? Zelda and Link?" Hilda scoffed. "There is no way that they will be able to find the Master Sword. They're not…"

"Aren't they?" Rova interrupted with a growing smile. "I must say your stubbornness is something else to behold. Never have a met someone so insistent to believe their own version of the truth."

A look of uncertainly slowly stole over Hilda's face. "But…Midna…"

"Was worried that you'd brought the incarnations of the Goddess and the hero to the very place where the Master Sword is rumored to sleep. She was never worried about the two of you finding the sword." Rova laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Wh-what?" Hilda slowly shook her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "N-no. I'm the Goddess…I…"

"Oh honey." Rova sneered. "You're a reincarnation but not the one you want to be."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Rova's sneer turned cruel. "You're the reincarnation of a Princess responsible for the entire destruction of her home land. Not that many know of it but I imagine you came across some of the legends, yes? The ones that speak of a parallel Kingdom called Lorule?"

"Enough Rova." Ravio stepped forward and curled a protective arm around Hilda's shoulders. "There's no need to tell her the rest."

Rova latched onto Ravio's sudden protectiveness with interest. "Oh? What's this?" She canted her head. "You…don't seem all that surprised to hear what I am saying." Her eyes mockingly widened in shock. "Did-did you already know? My, my Ravio but you _are_ full of surprises."

Ravio's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. "Studying those legends opened my eyes to some similarities between myself and my cousin. Nothing else."

"Y-you know the legend about Lorule?" Hilda turned wide eyes to him and Ravio felt his heart break at the confusion he saw in her eyes. "Then…you know what she's talking about? What does she mean…?"

"Hilda…" Ravio sighed. "Legend has it that the Kingdom of Lorule lost their sacred light not once, but twice. When it happened a second time, there was no saving the land so the people of Lorule came here, to Hyrule. The Princess and her Knight-turned-King welcomed them with open arms. The Queen of Lorule and her appointed knight were treated as family…" And that had been all he'd read on the matter.

"Makes you wonder why _you_ want the sword so badly, right?" Rova tapped a finger against her pursed lips. "Perhaps there is a part of you still longing to right the wrongs of past mistakes?"


	30. Chapter 30

Link kept a firm grip on Zelda's hand. It was rare for him to lose his sense of direction but following these creatures, who called themselves Koroks, had done just that. He was on edge and he couldn't shake the feeling they were walking into a trap.

"Link?"

He glanced back at Zelda. She'd probably picked up on how tense he was. His eyes shifted to their little escort. He couldn't exactly tell her what was wrong while they had an audience, but he'd already tried once to ease them off whatever imaginary path the Koroks were following. He'd had no luck. It seemed the second his foot strayed, they were turning to him and hounding him back in line.

He was beginning to think their eyes were really in the backs of their heads and the leaves were just for show.

"Link?"

Right, he cringed, Zelda was trying to get him to talk. How she could just blindly trust them was a little unnerving, but really, was he no different? Scowling, he glared at the trees lining their way. What he really should do was grab Zelda's hand and make a break for it. They didn't need any help from a mystical tree…

"It'll be alright." She drew his attention away from the trees and pulled him from his thoughts. "I…we can trust them. Don't ask me how I know, I just…" She trailed off and eyed the group of Koroks leading them. "I don't think they'd let us get very far even if we did try to go our own way."

"You would wander the Lost Woods for all eternity if we let you leave the path." Chio, the lead Korok from earlier, spoke with an air of authority. "Wander for too long and you'll lose yourself to the Stalfos curse."

"Stalfos curse?" He exchanged a sidelong glance with Zelda. "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not." Chio replied, completely dismissing the topic. "We're almost there."

"The Great Deku Tree is going to be so happy to see you." Natie, the overly cheerful Korok, exclaimed happily.

"And we are looking forward to meeting him." Zelda inclined her head in gentle acknowledgment. "We're grateful he saw us and sent you to lead us. You were very brave to venture from your home knowing we were in trouble."

Link raised an eyebrow and wondered if he should say anything. His own sentiments weren't exactly lining up with what Zelda was telling them. A swift elbow to the side stopped him from pondering that thought any further.

Discreetly rubbing his side, he wondered how she'd known what he was thinking.

* * *

"I-I don't believe you."

High peels of laughter met Hilda's stubborn declaration. Wiping her eyes, Rova chuckled. "Oh goodness, I haven't laughed like that in ages."

Hilda clenched her fists. She didn't care what Rova was saying. She couldn't possibly be this, this other Princess! That Princess wasn't descended from the Royal Family. How could she possibly be…

"Look at you!" Rova gleefully taunted. "I can just see those wheels turning in your head. 'How could I possibly be the reincarnation of someone who was never part of the royal family'?"

Her eyes narrowed, was she really so transparent?

Of course, this only made Rova laugh all the harder.

"Silly girl, it's the soul that chooses, not the family." Rova gave her a smug smile. "After all, the hero's soul has hopped around for ages. His lineage is the hardest to trace through the ages. I'm amazed you hadn't made that connection yet."

"What do you even want?" She didn't want to hear anymore of this. She cared little for the lies Rova was spewing. She was a descendent of the royal family. Maybe she wasn't the incarnation of the Goddess, but she refused to believe she was this other Princess who'd single-handedly destroyed her home world.

Ravio lightly rested a hand on her shoulder and she shot him a grateful smile. Of course, she'd nearly forgotten he was there with her. Wasn't he proof? Proof that she wasn't this other Princess? He was the hero, right?

"And I thought you would have so many questions." Rova angled her head and pursed her lips.

She almost looked…disappointed.

Hilda scoffed. "Questions? Why would I have more questions when all it does is reinforce your lies?"

"My lies?" Rova blinked in surprise before bursting into more laughter. "Stubborn to the end I see. Fine. We'll play this your way." Becoming serious, she crossed her arms and tapped a finger lightly against her arm. "I have a proposition for you."

* * *

The first thing he noticed upon entering the Deku Tree's meadow was the sword sitting prominently in front of an ancient tree. He felt Zelda's hand tighten on his arm and briefly, he covered her hand with his own. He lightly squeezed her hand to let her know he'd seen it too, but he barely registered he was even doing it. His entire focus was on the blade that gleamed in the waning afternoon light.

It called to him.

He felt it deep in his bones. He wanted to march right over to the dais, take the hilt and pull the sword free of the stone it was driven into. If he thought about it, this feeling, this desire made absolutely no sense to him. Why did he feel it within every fiber of his being that this sword, sleeping in the middle of the forest, belonged to him, and him alone?

"Link?"

Zelda tugging on his sleeve broke whatever trance he'd been under and he turned to her. She was watching him with wide eyes. The concern in their depths was easily read but he didn't know how to answer her unspoken question. No, he was not alright. It was the only thing he was certain of, but he couldn't explain why. It wasn't a physical thing. It wasn't entirely a mental thing either. He was completely out of his depth here. He couldn't explain it. Things were happening too quickly for him and he was beginning to feel like he couldn't keep up.

Her eyes searched his, but she asked no questions. He was grateful for that. Instead, she seemed to find whatever she was looking for in his eyes. Slowly she nodded, as if he'd answered her, and her hand slipped from his sleeve to his hand. She entwined their fingers and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I feel it too."

Those four words floored him. His eyes rounded in surprise and he tried to step back from her, but she only matched his movements to stay close to him.

"My friends…" A deep, gravelly voice intruded on the moment. "You have returned to me." There was the groan of wood and a shift in the air as the voice hummed in thought. "Oh, I see. How interesting, you have returned and yet, you have not."

Curling an arm around Zelda, Link pulled her close as he searched for the source of the voice.

The voice chuckled. "Ah, but it is good to see some things never change. Ever the watchdog, Link. You were always one to put her safety above everything else."

"Link." Zelda nudged his side. "It's…the tree."

He shot her a sideways glance before turning his eyes up to stare at the giant tree that took up most of the clearing. His mouth dropped open in shock. The tree was watching them with kind eyes. What he'd assumed to be an oddly shaped half-grown branch was really a nose, and the knothole beneath? Its mouth. He swallowed around the lump that rose in his throat. So, this was the Great Deku Tree? Who would have thought the spirit would literally be a tree?

"I have watched over this forest for many years. Too many to count. There was a time when I walked the lands of Hyrule under another name, giving my wisdom and knowledge freely to those who would seek me out for my advice but…those times have passed." There was a slight rumble and roots shifted to create a path for Link and Zelda. "It has been ages since I've had visitors and I'm afraid my sight is not what it used to be. Please, come closer."

His shoulders tensed at the idea of getting closer, but of course, Zelda didn't seem to share in his apprehension. She immediately stepped forward to climb the tree's roots. He had no choice but to follow.

He wasn't about to let her go without him.

The Deku Tree noticed his hesitation and chuckled again. "Yes, it is indeed a pleasure to see things remain the same even when you are unsure of your places. As she leads, you will always follow as you are both meant to walk the same path. Destiny demands it."

Destiny? He frowned. He never gave much thought to destiny, but if he'd been asked, he would say he didn't put much stock in it. They made their own paths, their own choices. What did destiny have to do with anything?

Unbidden, he glanced to the slumbering sword. Destiny…was the sword proof of this destiny the Tree spoke of?

The Deku Tree let out a rumbling sigh. "Yes, destiny. For many years we were able to lock yours away. It was the Hero's and his Princess's fondest wish. They wanted their descendants to know peace, and for a time we have been able to give this to you…"

"Peace?" Zelda questioned.

"Yes, peace." The Deku Tree's bark groaned again as he shifted his giant roots and raised them a bit higher. "It would seem that peace may be coming to an end. I do not sense the Goddess has awakened yet, but it would appear the Hero has had to step in at least once to assist Link."

The Hero? Link turned away from the sword. Was that the voice he'd heard in his head?

"I am pleased to see that you both haven't fully awakened. It could mean there is still hope that we can fix this."

"You're talking in riddles. Can't you just speak plainly?"

Chuckling in response to his question, Link got the sense the Deku Tree would have nodded had he been capable. "Of course. I owe you both an explanation. As happy as I am to see you both, I had sincerely hoped there would never be another occasion for us to ever converse."

Link curled his nose, was this supposed to be talking plainly? If so, then his definition was vastly different than the Deku Tree's.

"I, with help, have been overseeing Hyrule since the last time the darkness was sealed away. Midna's carnival is the perfect cover for my little Koroks. Most people over look them because they look like little children in costumes, but those who don't? Well, I have Midna to watch out for them."

"Midna…works for you?"

The Deku Tree's answer was simple and short. "Yes."

Link waited for the Tree to elaborate but instead, he continued with his story. At least, that's what he assumed it was. A story.

"We…vowed to keep track of the reincarnations of the Hero and Goddess. We had no idea if this plan would work. The sealed darkness has always had an uncanny ability to break free whenever our guard is down, but we were willing to try to give your descendants a chance at peace."

While he was still trying to figure out what this 'darkness' was, Zelda had latched onto something entirely different. "So, you've been watching us? To…what? See if we 'awaken', or whatever it was you'd called it?"

"Not quite." The Deku Tree rumbled in response and, if Link wasn't mistaken, he was positive the Tree's bark had taken on a darker hue as if he were…blushing? "It is my fault that we are in our current predicament. Keeping track of the Goddess' reincarnations was always easy. Her soul has always been bound to the lineage of the royal family regardless of what role they have in Hyrule. The Hero was another matter entirely. The Hero's soul is hardly ever reincarnated within the same lineage twice. Our only constant and saving grace was his soul tended to gravitate towards the Goddess."

"You…lost track of the Hero?" Zelda's nose wrinkled and she shot Link a confused look. He could only shrug in response.

He was just as lost as she was.

"Unfortunately the Hero's soul wasn't being drawn to the Goddess. We aren't sure—"

"That is such horse-shit." Nayru interrupted while picking her way through the underbrush to get to them. Pausing her progress, she glared up at the ancient Tree. "Don't lie to them. You got lazy and assumed their relationship would always be a romantic one. The Hero was always there, he was just in the background."

Link exchanged a surprised look with Zelda. Neither of them had noticed the other woman's approach, never mind how she'd even found her way to the Deku Tree's meadow.

Zelda bit her lower lip as her look became uncertain. She hesitantly took a step towards Nayru. "Um…" Faltering, she looked back at him.

Cringing inwardly, his eyes shifted to look off to the side. She wanted to tell Nayru about Ralph. Nayru was probably the one person who would care about what had happened to him. Link wasn't even sure if Ralph had any family. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach at the sobering thought. At the very least, Ralph would have parents who'd be wondering what happened to their son. His stomach turned and he had the sudden urge to throw-up.

He was in serious trouble.

Nayru's eyes moved between the two of them. She was probably picking up on their unease. Not that it was hard, a blind person probably would have noticed. "What's with you two?"

"Nayru…" Zelda paused briefly before continuing. "It's…about Ralph…"

Nayru blinked and then dismissively waved her hand. "Oh, that. I already knew. The Koroks found me in the forest. I'll help them make sure Ralph doesn't resurface to cause trouble for Link."

His eyes widened and his gaze swung to Nayru. She sounded so nonchalant. How was that possible when she was supposed to be in love with the deceased man?

Catching his startled look, Nayru smiled ruefully. "I understand your confusion. In this life, I was in love with him for some weird reason. So in love that I was able to turn my back on how unhappy I was in the relationship."

"Why—" Zelda, who'd been walking towards Nayru, had suddenly stopped and was now backing away to stand beside Link again. "Why are you talking like –"

"Like a different version of myself was in love with him?" Nayru finished with a knowing smile. "Because that was a different version of myself." Her eyes shifted to the Tree behind them. "As the Great Deku Tree would say, I've awoken."

"You've awoken?" Zelda frowned, her eyes turning to the Tree. "That's what will happen when we 'awaken'? We'll become completely different people?"

"No, not really." Nayru answered before the Deku Tree could say anything. "I still love Ralph, just not this version of him. We are always reincarnated as versions of ourselves, just sometimes certain aspects of our personality are buried based on our current life experiences."

Link wasn't so sure if Nayru's simple explanation was truly enough. Despite her assurances, the way Zelda was reacting was enough for him to realize the other woman was acting completely out of character. Nayru seemed to think she didn't owe them any further explanations. She hopped onto the Deku Tree's raised roots and finished making her way towards them.

She peered up at the Tree, completely ignoring Link and Zelda. "My sisters haven't gotten their memories back and I'm worried my presence might instigate their awakening. Until that day, I would like to work with you."

"Very well." The Deku Tree rumbled in reply. "We could use your assistance."

Nayru glanced to Link and Zelda with a smirk on her face. "Obviously since you didn't realize who Ravio and Hilda were related to until it was too late."

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys, sorry for the late update. Please know I am working to get this completed (I don't really see there being that many more chapters), but I can't make any real promises as to when I'll update again. Thanks for being so patient!**


	31. Chapter 31

Ravio reached for Hilda but his fingers slipped harmlessly past her arm. Biting back an annoyed growl, he tried to catch up to her.

 _Like always, she's two steps ahead of me…always in the distance…always unreachable…_

He stumbled slightly, his head spinning as the thought rose unbidden in his mind. He gave his head a slight shake before checking to see how much ground Hilda had on him. He had to catch up to her.

He still couldn't believe she'd agreed to Rova's crazy plan.

"Hilda!" His voice sounded strained even to his ears, but he didn't care. "Please…"

She slowed her pace and turned to him. "Why are you even still following me?" Her mouth curled into a sneer. "You made yourself perfectly clear…"

"You can't go through with this!" He used her faltered steps to his advantage to catch up to her. Again, he attempted to close his fingers around her arm. "Rova's plan is –"

"Brilliant." She tore her arm free from his loose grasp. "Why can't you see that? If Link and Zelda are with the Deku tree, then we've missed our chance to get the sword by having them lead us to it. To get the sword now, we'll have to flush them out like rabbits."

"And how is wiping out an entire village going to do that?" Ravio demanded.

She stared back at him coldly. "You always were such a coward."

He couldn't believe his ears. "Rova is using you. If you do this, you'll be indebted to her to keep you safe; that's the only thing this stupid plan of hers will accomplish."

Hilda rolled her eyes. "Indebted to her? Do you really think I am so incapable of taking care of myself?"

He wasn't getting through to her. How was he going to make her see reason?

"You'll be killing a lot of innocent people and for what? A forgotten sword that we're not even sure…"

"No." Hilda cut him off before he could finish. "No, do not lump me in with you. The sword is exactly what the legends say it is."

He was losing her.

"Fine, but you can't just kill a bunch of people to get it. The sword is supposed to be a symbol of righteousness…and…and…" He had to think quickly. He was grasping at straws now, but he was desperate. He had to get her to see reason. "How do you even know this crazy plan will bring Link and Zelda to you?"

Hilda gave him a smug look and he suddenly had a sinking feeling that he knew how she was going to ensure Link and Zelda came.

"Why Ravio, you'll do as you have done before." Turning on her heel, she left him standing alone in the forest. "You'll go running to the Hero of Light just like last time."

Her words sent a chill down his spine and he found he couldn't bring himself to take another step. "What…"

Her voice floated back to him as if he hadn't spoken. "Although, I suppose you won't be able to cash in on this little endeavor. You've no equipment to sell to him this time, do you?"

* * *

"Who Ravio and Hilda are related to?" Link's grip on Zelda's hand tightened as he gave both the Tree and Nayru incredulous looks. "Why would it matter who they were related to?"

"They're related to us." Zelda spoke suddenly, drawing Link's attention. "The Deku Tree just finished explaining that we're the reincarnated Goddess and Hero. I am guessing they'd heard about Ravio's intention of finding the Master Sword," She twisted around to look down at the slumbering sword in its pedestal. "But they hadn't counted on him being related to the one person who could actually find the sword."

"You are correct." The Deku Tree rumbled with a hint of pride in his voice. "Rumors of Ravio and Hilda's search had reached Midna, but she dismissed the rumors to be just another fruitless search. However, Hilda angered Midna when she attempted to steal a Sol from the Twilight Fair…"

"And turned her into a wolf." Link finished and crossed his arms. "We're aware of that part of the story considering we arrived shortly after she was turned."

"Uh yes, of course." The Deku Tree cleared his throat and Nayru muffled a laugh. "Since you're well acquainted with Hilda's transformation, I'll skip past that part…"

"I think I understand now." Zelda smiled and clapped her hands together. She'd been going over recent events in her head while the Deku Tree had been speaking. "Midna decided to change Hilda back, without any type of compensation, because she realized Ravio would get Link's help retrieving the Master Sword."

Link sarcastically grumbled, "Finally a straight answer" under his breath.

The Deku Tree, who hadn't heard Link's sarcasm, chuckled at her exuberant declaration. "Your intuition is spot on –as usual. Yes, Midna reversed the spell hoping the search for the Master Sword would be called off."

"But it wasn't." Zelda fought down her growing guilt. This was all her fault wasn't it? She was the one who'd insisted on continuing the search. "I…" She didn't know how to continue. Should she apologize? She snuck a look up at Link, but his eyes were on the Deku Tree.

"That Sheikah-mummy-thing," Link slowly started, his eyes narrowing to slits as he worked it out in his mind. "Impa said the sword is needed again, but everything you guys have done has been to prevent it from being found. So, why bring us here if you have no intentions of letting us take the sword?"

Nayru, who'd been quiet this entire time, chimed in. "Yes, isn't that the question of the hour. Why bring you here, if Midna and the Deku Tree want to keep the sword a secret?" Grinning mischievously, she hopped onto an adjacent root and carefully walked its length. "Could it be they wanted to remove the ones who could access the sword from the playing field?"

Zelda's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait? What? Do you really mean to keep us here?"

* * *

Ravio was still standing in the middle of the forest path, wondering what to do, when Midna and Phierce found him. The pair stumbled to an abrupt halt at the sight of him, and it wasn't lost on Ravio that Midna was leaning against Phierce in a way that suggested he was the only thing keeping her upright.

Despite her obvious pain, Midna wasted no time getting to the point. "Where's Hilda and Rova?"

He gave them a blank look. "They…" He pressed his lips together with a grimace. He couldn't even finish his sentence because Hilda's plan was too horrible to even articulate. Instead he asked, "Where is Link and Zelda?"

This time, it was Midna who hesitated to respond. Beside her, Phierce avoided his gaze. Ravio's eyes narrowed on them. "If you won't tell me where they are, at least tell me they're safe."

Midna almost looked relieved at his revised question. "Yes, they're safe. Now back to my original question: where is Hilda and Rova?"

Turning away from the pair, Ravio returned to staring down the path he'd last seen Hilda. He had to stop her, and (for once) he wouldn't be able to rely on his cousin to fix his problems.

"Ravio!"

Midna's snarled call caught his attention. His continued silence was obviously starting to annoy her, but he really didn't care. The wheels in his mind were turning and he kept coming back to the same solution. A solution he knew Hilda would hate but he really saw no other options. Something within her had changed, or broke –depending on how you wanted to look at it –when Rova had confronted them. He could sense it because there was something within him that was responding to her changed personality. He had an uncontrollable desire to pull her back from the edge of darkness she was teetering on.

"Rova and Hilda are up ahead." He finally answered before Midna could snap again. "I…think I have an idea to put a stop to this."

Midna exchanged a look with Phierce before nodding for him to continue. "I'm listening."

He drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. "Before I tell you my plan, I need you to agree to something first."

Midna's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

"Can Hilda and I join the Twilight fair? Can we work for you?" Ravio hurriedly continued before Midna had a chance to respond. "We'll need to go into hiding if we're going to give up searching for the Master Sword and I think we'll need your protection…"

Midna perked up at the mention of the Master Sword or, more likely, at the mention of calling off the search for it. "You finally agree that the Master Sword should be left alone? You're not saying this to turn around and continue the search once we've gotten your girlfriend away from Rova?"

The corner of Ravio's mouth kicked up in a rueful smile at her suspicion. "No, that actually leads to the second thing I want to ask you."

Midna pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. "And what's the second thing you wanted to ask?"

"Can you turn the two of us into wolves?"

"What? Why?"

Ravio swallowed and shifted his gaze to the side. "Hilda won't give up her search for the sword. She's fixated on it. The only way I see to stop her is to change her back into a wolf."

"Alright, but why change you as well?"

Ravio's smile went from rueful to sad. "I would be no match as I am now against a wolf. Hilda will be furious when she realizes what's been done…"

* * *

"You can't keep us here." Link snarled and moved in front of Zelda. He should have listened to his instincts instead of following walking pieces of bark to this place. His eyes strayed to the silent sword glistening softly in the ethereal light of the clearing.

The sword –of course –he could use the sword to get them out of this mess. All he would have to do is make sure Zelda stayed close to him. He was sure they could safely jump from this overgrown root they were standing on. It wouldn't take much to reach the pedestal the sword was buried in, and once he had the sword…

"Oh look at him scheming his way out of here." Nayru cackled gleefully. "I apologize. I should have realized my comment would throw you into full-on hero mode."

His shoulders tensed at her teasing remark. "Full-on hero mode?" He didn't know if he should be insulted or confused by her comment.

Nayru hopped down from her perch –wait…when had she gotten up there in the first place? Link shook his head. Why did it feel like time was slipping by without his notice? Nayru shot him a secretive smile. It was almost like she knew exactly what he was thinking. He blinked to clear the thought because, quite frankly, that was impossible. At least, he thought it was until her smile grew wider.

She didn't offer any type of explanation and instead, directed a question to the Deku Tree. "Do you still have my harp?"

"The Harp of Ages?" The Deku Tree fell silent as he pondered the answer. His bark creaked as he nodded. "Yes, I believe I do." His eyes searched the tall grass around his roots. "Chio? Chio; now where did that Korok go?"

"Right here, Great Deku Tree." A Korok stepped forward; he was a bit taller than the rest and sported a red mushroom growing out from the top of its head.

"Ah Chio, there you are." The Deku Tree rumbled. "Could you please get Lady Nayru's Harp?"

The small Korok nodded and disappeared from sight. A moment later he (she?) returned carrying a blue and red harp. Link couldn't really tell how an instrument was supposed to help, but seeing the instrument seemed to excite Nayru.

Running to the Korok, she took up the harp; and lovingly ran her fingers over the strings, but refrained from strumming a tune. "With this I will succeed where I failed before."

Link scowled. More riddles, why anyone couldn't just speak plainly was beyond him. He was done with all of this…this…mystic, magic crap. He just wanted to go home, back to his bar, where his biggest worry was whether or not he was going to expand his business. Even so, he stared hard at the harp, why did the damn thing look so bloody familiar? Where had he seen it before?

Catching his look, Nayru clucked her tongue and shook a finger in his direction. "Whatever you're thinking, forget it. I'm not about to give the Harp to you, "Her eyes shifted to where Zelda was watching with ill-concealed curiosity as well, "or you. The Goddess of Time refuses to let either of you mess around with time again. Three timelines are enough to handle thank-you-very-much, we don't need any more*."

He exchanged a confused look with Zelda, but Nayru spoke up before either of them had a chance to reply to her cryptic reprimand. "You need only to stay here an hour more." She glanced back at the Great Deku Tree. "That's all the time I need to help Midna take care of Rova. I believe Ravio has a plan to rein in Hilda."

* * *

Midna's eyes narrowed on Ravio. "Alright, I suppose I can grant the second part of your plan. However, you've left out one rather major problem."

Ravio started to nod, but he caught himself. He hadn't told Midna about Hilda's weird comments, but he felt that wasn't what Midna was talking about. He was missing something…or someone? His brow furrowed in confusion. Why couldn't he remember?

"Ravio?" Midna gave him an odd look.

She obviously knew whatever (whoever?) it was he was forgetting. So why couldn't he remember? He stared helplessly down the forest path, wracking his brain to find the missing piece. They had to stop Hilda…but there was some sort of complication that would stop his plan…but what WAS it?

"Ah, here you are!" A cheerful voice intruded as a woman with long blue hair seemed to appear from out of thin air. Wrestling her way in between Midna and Phierce, she threw her arms around their shoulders. "I haven't missed anything, have I?"

"Nayru?" Midna extracted herself from the blue-haired girl and gave her a hard look. "Sweet Hylia, don't tell me you've actually awakened…"

Nayru shrugged. "Wouldn't be here if I hadn't."

"Are you the reason why Ravio doesn't remember –" Phierce began to ask, but Nayru quickly shushed him with a finger against his lips.

"Let's not speak of that." Nayru winked and backed away quickly at Midna's thunderous look. "Unfortunately, there are somethings that are fated to happen." She turned to Ravio. "Hilda going down this path is one of them. Removing certain players from the playing field cannot change this."

Midna sighed and tiredly pinched the bridge of her nose. "I will be so glad when this is over. So then, all that's left is to carry out Ravio's plan."

Nayru gave her a thumbs up. "Yep and I'll make sure Rova steers clear of Link and Zelda." She turned to Ravio. "Rova will hear of your plight. I suspect she'll trail the Twilight Fair for a bit, but she'll give up soon enough when she realizes she won't be able to reverse the spell you and Hilda are under."

Ravio was still confused. He felt there was more that should have been said. He now remembered Rova was involved, that she had threatened their families if they didn't produce the sword; but, he had a nagging feeling that there'd been more that happened after her threat. He just couldn't remember it. He eyed the new-comer. He didn't know Nayru, but she apparently knew Midna and he wasn't sure if that was any better. He drew in a deep breath. Did he really care though? She was apparently on their side and their time was running out. They had to get to Hilda.

He sent out a silent prayer and straightened his shoulders. "Ok, if you're certain Rova will be drawn away. Let's get this over with."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys, so sorry for the looooong delay on this. I'm happy to report there is but one chapter left and then this story is done. Thank you to anyone who's still following this.**


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